Il «terzo fronte». Il fascismo tra guerra economica ed economia di guerra (1939–1943) (Italian fascism between economic war and war economy (1939–1943))

This essay analyses the cultural debate on the war economy in fascist Italy since 1939 up until 1943. At the beginning of World War II, when Mussolini adopted a non-belligerent position, many fascist analysts focused their attention on the way belligerent countries were financing their war effort. The economic war between England and Germany, and its possible consequences on the Italian economy were their main concern. When Italy joined the war, price control measures became the main topic of the fascist debate on the war economy. But Mussolini’s inadequate war economic plan, the systematic overlapping of different authorities, and the failure of price freeze policies proved that the Italian fascist regime could not cope with World War II