The analysis uses prefectoral papers and police documents. It makes particular use of documents illustrating the role of the Prefect of Bologna, Cesare Mori, in trying to repress fascist violence and, more important, in trying to maintain a neutral position for the provincial police agencies. The analysis questions the extent of active support for fascism and demonstrates the need for some distinction between the two police organizations, the Interior Ministry police and the military Carabinieri. It also examines behavioral trends during the initial period of fascist ascendancy and during the later period close to the March on Rome, in which the subversive nature of fascism was no longer in doubt. The discussion notes that the province of Bologna experienced the development of a prominent socialist movement in both rural and urban areas from the end of the 19th century and later was one of the first provinces to come under fascist influence. Bologna was fairly representative of administrative practices more generally in postunification Italy; its background of social, political, and economic developments is similar to those characteristics in northern Italy as a whole. The analysis concludes that despite police political sympathy for fascism, a flow of clear and specific orders from central government could have checked the development of the movement. In addition, apparent police indifference to fascist violence was often indicative more of hesitancy at ambiguous government policies than of support for the movement itself. Chapter reference notes, index, appended map and list of police documents, and reference lists