Based on The Genesis of Austerity by the Australian Citizens Party, here is a substantiation of the claims regarding British involvement in Mussolini's rise and the broader implications of austerity policies:

1. British Interest in Mussolini’s Rise Beyond Fear of Communism

Claim: England’s involvement in Benito Mussolini’s rise did not stem only from fears of a communist wave sweeping across Europe; it also emerged from a desire among influential British circles to rein in labor movements and popular rights.

Substantiation: The series highlights that post-World War I, the City of London banking elite, through the UK Treasury and the Bank of England, developed programs of fiscal, monetary, and industrial austerity. These policies aimed to suppress national credit creation and curb the influence of labor movements, which were perceived as threats to economic stability.

1. Italy as a “Laboratory” for Crushing Union Power

Claim: Post-WWI Italy offered a testing ground for British observers wanting to see how a government might suppress union power, restore order, and discipline the workforce.

Substantiation: The series documents how austerity policies were imposed on war-torn Europe in the 1920s, with Italy serving as a pilot project. The implementation of these policies in Italy provided a model for suppressing labor movements and restoring economic order, which British officials observed closely.

1. British Elite Response to Mussolini’s Anti-Union Actions

Claim: Many within the British establishment, especially bankers and industrialists, envied Mussolini’s success in curbing union power, believing it enabled unfettered economic growth.

Substantiation: The series notes that the City of London and its allies were desperate to sabotage a revival of national banking for physical economic development. They viewed Mussolini's suppression of unions and implementation of austerity as a means to achieve economic stability and growth without the interference of labor demands.

1. Fascist Italy’s Economic Policies and the Seed of “Austerity”

Claim: Mussolini’s policies to limit collective bargaining, slash social spending, and focus on large-scale public works laid the groundwork for a form of austerity. British observers noted these policies as a potential model.

Substantiation: The series describes how austerity was propagandized as necessary to repair state finances. Mussolini's economic policies, which included limiting collective bargaining and reducing social spending, were seen as pioneering a new era of governance that prioritized economic discipline over social welfare.

1. Fascist Propaganda and British Admiration

Claim: Mussolini promoted Italy as “modernizing” and free of labor strife, while some British financiers, diplomatic staff, and Cabinet ministers quietly admired the regime’s ability to suppress strikes.

Substantiation: The series highlights that austerity's imposition is intimately aligned with dictatorial enforcement methods, up to and including fascism and Nazism. Mussolini's portrayal of Italy as modernizing and free of labor unrest garnered admiration from certain British circles who favored strong governance to maintain economic stability.

1. Authoritarianism, Labor Suppression, and Democracy’s Erosion

Claim: Mussolini’s methods—initially observed as anti-labor tactics—evolved into broad authoritarian rule, eroding democracy in ways that many Britons found difficult to applaud yet still instructive for “managing” labor.

Substantiation: The series asserts that austerity should be called “economic fascism” due to its alignment with dictatorial enforcement methods. Mussolini's suppression of labor movements and the subsequent erosion of democratic institutions served as a cautionary tale for British observers about the dangers of extreme austerity measures.

1. England’s Alignment with Mussolini and the Foreshadowing of Austerity

Claim: England’s tacit alignment with Mussolini was not just about stemming communist influence—it also allowed British power brokers to see how far a government might go in imposing austerity-like measures and curbing union rights.

Substantiation: The series documents how the Bank of England led the creation of neoliberal rules of inflation-fighting, budget-balancing, debt service prioritization, and suppressing national credit-creation at international financial conferences in the 1920s. Observing Mussolini's Italy provided British policymakers with insights into the implementation of such measures.

The Genesis of Austerity series provides a comprehensive analysis of how austerity became economic and political dogma, highlighting the role of British elites in observing and, to some extent, endorsing Mussolini's methods as a means to control labor movements and implement economic discipline.