Benito Mussolini was the founder of fascism and dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943, creating a model of authoritarian nationalism that influenced movements worldwide, including Nazism. Originally a socialist journalist, Mussolini broke with the left over World War I, embracing nationalism and founding the Fascist movement in 1919.
The March on Rome in 1922 brought Mussolini to power. He dismantled democracy, creating a one-party state with corporatist economics, aggressive nationalism, and a cult of personality around 'Il Duce.' Fascism promised national renewal through strength, unity, and action rather than liberal democracy's perceived weakness.
Mussolini's imperial ambitions led to the conquest of Ethiopia and alliance with Nazi Germany. Italy's military failures in World War II led to his overthrow in 1943. Rescued by Germans, he led a puppet state until partisans captured and executed him in 1945. His body was hung upside down in Milan—an ignominious end for the man who invented fascism.