This work investigates how the socio-economic fragmentation of Brescia facilitated the rise of Italian fascism between 1915 and 1926. Alice A. Kelikian, a historian specializing in modern European history, utilizes local archival data and economic records to analyze the transition from parliamentary democracy to dictatorship. She argues that the specific tensions between urban industrial centers and rural agricultural regions provided the necessary leverage for Mussolini to consolidate power despite national political instability.

Historians recognize this text as a significant micro-historical study that challenges monolithic interpretations of the fascist takeover in Italy. Scholars frequently cite the book for its detailed examination of regional political dynamics and its contribution to understanding the intersection of local economic interests and national political shifts.