train time
did mussolini make the trains run on time?
by Jill Terry

Most of us are too young to remember World War II, let alone World War I, yet we all "know" that Mussolini was somehow responsible for making the previously unpredictable Italian trains run on time. Attributing much social benefit to the actions of a deplorable, fascist dictator seems to run counter to logic, so I decided to investigate.

The Italian railway system was in sorry shape after World War I. Cars were dilapidated and tracks in need of repair. Arrivals and departures were horribly unpredictable, making schedules useless. Before the Fascists came to power, however, work had begun to restore the trains.

Enter Benito Mussolini and his renowned sense of understatement and modesty. When Il Duce was appointed Prime Minister in 1922, he had the political savvy to realize that people needed to have some reason to embrace fascism (since its benefits to the populace were not readily apparent). He pointed to this tangible example of efficiency as a natural outgrowth of fascism and chose to take personal credit for the improved punctuality of the trains, despite all evidence that the Italian railway system was well on its way to better performance prior to Mussolini's reign.

More ironic still are interviews conducted with Italian citizens who witnessed it all. They are quoted as saying that the reliable timetables were yet another lie perpetrated by Mussolini, that though the trains were in better shape, they often failed to arrive or depart when schedules said they would.

What a surprise. Mussolini lied about this, too. To read more about this myth, check out the Urban Legends Reference Pages.