The Murder of Giacomo Matteotti: Dictatorships, Democracies, and the Oil Wars

In collaboration with
Primo Levi Center
Part of
Giorno della Memoria 2025
On the occasion of the publication of
"The Matteotti Murder and Mussolini
The Anatomy of a Fascist Crime"
(2024, Palgrave Macmillan)
by Mauro Canali
The author in conversation with
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, NYU
Natalia Indrimi, Primo Levi Center
Canali’s research is based on the trial records smuggled to London by the lawyer of the Matteotti family, Giuseppe Emanuele Modigliani when it became clear that he too was a target of the regime. Modigliani documented that Matteotti was investigating bribes from the American Sinclair Oil Company to the Italian government in exchange for the monopoly to drill on Italian soil and in the Italian colonies.
Matteotti’s murder in 1924 opened the way to establishing the Fascist dictatorship and to redesigning the institutions of the state. Through the lens of the trial and Modigliani’s activity, Canali addresses the history of the war over natural resources of which Matteotti remained a marginal yet highly symbolic victim.
Canali follows the parallel routes of corruption and social struggles flowing between worlds politically and ideologically apart, how they shaped different populist and democratic narratives, and the rise of an inextricable bond between ruling classes, warfare, and industrial interests.
Giuseppe Emanuele Modigliani (1872-1946) was one of the founders of the Italian Socialist Party and of the first Italian union. He developed and maintained strong ties with unions and socialist activists in the US, especially with David Dubinsky, Bruce Vladek, and the Local 89 International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. His relation to Matteotti before the murder and during the trial, illuminates a complex map of alliances and conflicts between the two countries and the role of unionism in the battle against authoritarianism.
Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò
New York University
January 28, 2025

[@thethermaldoc3196]

Con questi alla moda professori

[@thethermaldoc3196]

Just 5 minutes with this guy, ex war veterans killed Matteotti as part of Risorgimento Italiano

[@thethermaldoc3196]

I have a comment

[@thethermaldoc3196]

If you research further you will find out that many were ex war veterans, I manganellitori. Non si puo parlare di democratic nel 1920 Italiano

[@thethermaldoc3196]

Vai a vedere analfabetismo in Italia, nel 1920, come fai a parlare democrazia dopo secoli di agricoltura, dove la stragrande maggioranza non si identificavano come Italiani!!