ccasionally in direct opposition to them, so
the ends of the various social groups are not necessarily those of the
individuals that belong to the groups but may even possibly be in
conflict with such ends, as one sees clearly whenever the preservation
and the development of the species demand the sacrifice of the
individual, to wit, in times of war.

Fascism replaces therefore the old atomistic and mechanical state
theory which was at the basis of the liberal and democratic doctrines
with an organic and historic concept. When I say organic I do not wish
to convey the impression that I consider society as an organism after
the manner of the so-called "organic theories of the state"; but
rather to indicate that the social groups as fractions of the species
receive thereby a life and scope which transcend the scope and life of
the individuals identifying themselves with the history and finalities
of the uninterrupted series of generations. It is irrelevant in this
connection to determine whether social groups, considered as fractions
of the species, constitute organisms. The important thing is to
ascertain that this organic concept of the state gives to society a
continuous life over and beyond the existence of the several
individuals.

The relations therefore between state and citizens are completely
reversed by the Fascist doctrine. Instead of the liberal-democratic
formula, "society for the individual," we have, "individuals for
society" with this difference however: that while the liberal
doctrines eliminated society, Fascism does not submerge the individual
in the social group. It subordinates him, but does not eliminate him;
the individual as a part of his generation ever remaining an element
of society however transient and insignificant he may be. Moreover the
development of individuals in each generation, when coordinated and
harmonized, conditions the development and prosperity of the entire
social unit.

At this juncture the antithesis between the two theories must appear
complete and absolute. Liberalism, Democracy, and Socialism look upon
social groups as aggregates of living individuals; for Fascism they
are the recapitulating unity of the indefinite series of generations.
For Liberalism, society has no purposes other than those of the
members living at a given moment. For Fascism, society has historical
and immanent ends of preservation, expansion, improvement, quite
distinct from those of the individua