ABSTRACT
The scepticism of democracy had penetrated deeply into the democracies themselves in the period before the outbreak of war. Scepticism of democracy has two aspects which must be separated from each other. On the right, main motive was fear; on the left, its Chief source was disappointment. On the right, the suspicion was deep that the procedures of democracy led inevitably to a re-examination of the economic bases of society, and it was uneasily recognized that this might reveal the ultimate incompatibility of democracy and capitalism. On the left, the attack was the outcome of that sense, foreseen almost a century ago by Tocqueville. The solution of the issues proposed by the Fascist leaders was to transfer to their own peoples those sources of wealth through the control of which the rulers of the democracies had been able to maintain their delicate relationship with capitalism. A revolution by consent permits the affirmation of democratic principles over a wider area.
