The Italian Social Republic (RSI), led by Mussolini from 1943 to 1945, emerged in the chaotic aftermath of his deposition and relied on German support for legitimacy. This chapter examines the RSI’s search for representation. Throughout the constitutionalisation of the new Fascist regime, Mussolini sought to establish some form of autonomy. Mussolini’s vision was to revive the interrupted Fascist revolution and to purge it of the compromises of the past. The corporatist representative model of the RSI, outlined in the ‘Manifesto di Verona’, sought to redefine relationships into a sort of ‘fascist socialism’. Although ambitious, drafting the Biggini Constitution faced internal contradictions and waning enthusiasm. Despite Salo’s brief existence, Mussolini’s unwavering determination to uphold corporatist principles underscored his quest for an authentic and untainted Fascist state, a kind of legacy just before the end of the Fascist era.

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Fascism,Italian Social Republic,Corporatism,World War II