"The mass, whether it be a crowd or an army, is vile"

In this quote, Benito Mussolini, the Italian fascist leader, conveys a negative view of the mass or the cumulative entity, no matter whether it refers to a crowd or an army. The recommendation to "vile" suggests a sense of disgust or contempt towards this cumulative force. It suggests that Mussolini perceives the mass as having unfavorable qualities or motivations, possibly indicating a lack of uniqueness or important thinking. Mussolini's belief in the superiority of the person over the collective aligns with his authoritarian ideology, which emphasized a strong leader and the submission of the masses to their authority.