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How did Giuseppe Mazzini respond to claims that he supported assassination?
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Giuseppe Mazzini
Giuseppe Mazzini, detail of an oil painting by Luigi Zuccoli, 1865; in the Museo del Risorgimento, Milan.
Giuseppe Mazzini faced significant criticism for his revolutionary activities, particularly from the moderate party in Piedmont, where Count Cavour labeled him the "chief of the assassins."1
Mazzini rejected these claims as unfair, maintaining a clear distinction between his methods and the act of assassination. He expressly disclaimed the "theory of the dagger," asserting that his plots and conspiracies were intended to incite insurrection rather than to carry out individual assassinations.1