The article discusses Rodolfo Mondolfo, an Italian philosopher who criticized communism and Bolshevism and faced hostility from the Communist Party for his views.
This article reflects on the life and thoughts of Rodolfo Mondolfo, an important Italian scholar who passed away fifty years ago in Buenos Aires, having fled there due to fascist racial laws. Mondolfo was not only a prominent figure in ancient philosophy but also made significant contributions to modern philosophical thought. He identified as a democratic-liberal socialist, expressing strong criticisms of communism and Bolshevism, akin to the stance of Karl Kautsky in Germany. In various essays, he argued that the Bolsheviks were creating a totalitarian regime in Russia, maintained by terror and the physical elimination of opponents.
Mondolfo's stance drew considerable ire from the Italian Communist Party, which remained hostile towards him even after the fall of fascism. His firm condemnation of the Soviet Union and the implications of his writings ensured that he was viewed unfavorably by communist circles. The article further highlights how, despite the changing political landscape, Mondolfo's critiques continued to resonate within philosophical discussions about totalitarianism and the role of ideology in governance.
Through this retrospective, the article emphasizes the implications of Mondolfo's work on contemporary views of communism and totalitarianism, urging readers to consider the historical context of intellectual debates that shaped modern political thought. It serves as a reminder of the tensions between different political ideologies and the academic struggle for freedom of thought and expression in oppressive contexts.
