1. He depicted communism as a foreign and dangerous ideology that threatened traditional Italian values and institutions. He portrayed the Communists as atheists who sought to destroy religion, as collectivists who wanted to abolish private property, and as revolutionaries who would plunge Italy into chaos.
2. He used the threat of communism to justify his own authoritarian rule. He argued that only a strong leader could protect Italy from the communist menace. He suppressed political dissent and civil liberties, arguing that these were necessary to prevent the spread of communism.
3. He formed alliances with anti-communist forces at home and abroad. He entered into alliances with conservative and even fascist movements in other countries, and he received apoio from the Axis powers in his efforts to combat communism.
4. He portrayed his own regime as a bulwark against communism. He declared that fascism was the only ideology that could effectively resist communism, and he claimed that Italy was a shining example of a fascist state that had successfully defied the communist threat.
Mussolini's exploitation of fears of communism was a key factor in his rise to power. It enabled him to gain the support of a wide range of Italians, including conservatives, nationalists, and even some members of the working class. However, his anti-communist rhetoric and policies also created a climate of fear and repression that ultimately contributed to the downfall of his regime.