Giovanni Gentile's school reform turns 100: a controversial legacy

In 2023, the 100th anniversary of the Riforma Gentile, the school reform enacted by philosopher Giovanni Gentile under the Fascist regime, passes largely unremarked. Marco Senaldi, a philosophy teacher for thirty years, argues that despite its aristocratic, classist, antifeminist, and fascist ideology, the reform succeeded in making Italian teenagers study some history of philosophy—a cultural achievement he believes other European countries lack. He contrasts the German, French, and English mentalities via Slavoj Žižek's toilet joke, noting Italy's absence, and claims Italy's true originality lies not in its vast cultural heritage but in its dialectical spirit, exemplified by Piero Manzoni's 'Merda d'artista.' Senaldi laments that Italians undervalue this philosophical tradition, which he sees as the nation's secret identity.