“A concealed civil war”: the Liberal opposition

Abstract

The essay explores the stance of the Italian liberal opposition during the parliamentary debate on the Acerbo electoral law (1923), a key turning point in the dismantling of the liberal state and the rise of fascist rule. Strategic hesitation, ideological divisions, and the failure to form a united front characterised liberal action. While many leaders opted for abstention or accommodation, figures like Amendola and Albertini pursued a principled yet isolated resistance, ultimately unable to halt authoritarian consolidation.