WI: Mussolini the Communist

Well, Mussolini was a socialist before WWI, when they kicked him out for supporting the war. Maybe have him stay red?
 
Surprisingly plausible - Socialism, anyway; I can't see Mussolini going full Communist. Overall, probably good for Italy, since it almost certainly keeps them out of the war and, more to the point, firmly anti-Nazi in the years leading up to it.

A Red Italy is unlikely to pursue imperialistic goals in Ethiopia as well, which helps somewhat with its international representation. It is also unlikely to back down concerning the Austrian annexation as it did in OTL.

Red Italy is still likely to proceed as OTL in Libya...which, again, wasn't really all that bad, all things considered.

DOWNSIDE: Laternan Treaties unlikely.

Unfortunately, all of this is predicated on the idea that Mussolini as a socialist even could take power. He couldn't; King Emmanuel, the Italian government, and the Italian army were very anti-socialist, and even at the height of Mussolini's power OTL, the people and armies of Italy loved the King more than the Duce. Without Mussolini, Fascism still likely forms in one form or another, and the March on Rome still happens in one form or another. From here, it is either put down by the Italian army on orders from the King; or else one of the four historical organizers of the March (Emilio de Bono, Italo Balbo, Michele Bianchi and Cesare Maria de Vecchi) comes to power, or perhaps they form a quadumvirate (quite likely, actually).

In any event, such an Italy is still likely to remain anti-Nazi, if the Nazi party even gets off the ground in this timeline.
 
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