26/09/2023
THE JUDGMENT OF HISTORY
(...) Because the man in question, in his reality, was of low intelligence, correlative to his radical lack of moral sensitivity.
He was ignorant―of that substantial ignorance which involves not appreciating and not comprehending the elementary relationships of civilized, human life.
Incapable of self-criticism as well as of scruples of conscience, incredibly vain, devoid of all class in his words and deeds, always someplace between vulgar and arrogant.
But, if called to answer for the damage and the shame in which he has cast the country through his words and actions and arts of oppression and corruption, he could very well reply to the people like that shameful Florentine leader, of whom Giovanni Villani speaks, replied to his companions in exile who accused him of leading them to disaster at Montaperti:
“And you, why did you believe me?”
(Benedetto Croce. Diary. 2 Dec 1944)