How did Benedetto Croce become a symbol of opposition to Benito Mussolini's regime?

Benedetto Croce became a symbol of opposition to Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime by positioning himself as a moral and intellectual anchor for those who valued liberty and civic virtue. While he initially viewed fascism as a potential right-wing corrective to post-World War I instability, his stance hardened into absolute, uncompromising opposition as the regime’s true nature—characterized by the displacement of truth and ethics with rhetoric and tyranny—became clear.1

Through his bimonthly review, La Critica, Croce maintained a consistent, scholarly critique of fascist ideology. Even during the darkest periods of the regime, the journal served as a vital source of encouragement for a circle of freedom-loving intellectuals. By composing major historical works that analyzed the "lost way" of Italy’s political path, he acted as a moral teacher, urging the nation to reclaim its spiritual resources. Consequently, he was recognized both within and outside Italy as the primary rallying point for the resistance against fascist authoritarianism.21