What sets this interview apart is its ability to weave together cultural criticism, historical revisionism, and philosophical depth. Pacilio’s interpretation of Southern Italy as a “morphology of a nation” rather than a sociological anomaly serves as an evocative and necessary corrective to the prevailing narratives of the Risorgimento. He makes a convincing case that the so-called “unification” of Italy was less a historical inevitability than a Masonic-liberal project that uprooted legitimate political and spiritual orders. By restoring the South to its rightful place as a bearer of kultur, not merely a casualty of history, Pacilio opens the door to a fuller understanding of Italian—and indeed European—identity.
The interview is particularly strong in its treatment of tradition, drawing on the thought of Evola and Guénon to contrast traditionalist metaphysics with the deracinated ideologies of modernity. Pacilio’s articulation of the “third dimension of history,” following Evola, reintroduces a forgotten depth to historical interpretation—one that accounts for hidden forces, spiritual decay, and the perennial conflict between rooted order and revolutionary chaos. His insights into the ideological character of so-called “scientific” historiography are especially relevant in an age where technocratic “neutrality” often masks deeper ideological commitments.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect is the clarity with which Pacilio navigates complex geopolitical and philosophical themes. He draws a subtle yet decisive distinction between individualistic liberalism and the legitimate self-determination of rooted peoples. His argument compellingly favors a vision of conservative renewal over the leveling forces of globalization, while also exposing the limits of a geopolitical realism that remains tethered to Enlightenment assumptions (secularism, universalism, etc.).
In sum, this interview is not only a valuable resource for those interested in the intellectual legacy of the Two Sicilies or the critique of the Risorgimento mythos—it is also a lucid expression of Traditionalist thought in the 21st century. Pacilio challenges us to rethink the South not as a passive victim but as a spiritual and civilizational bastion—one that still carries within it the seed of resistance to the liberal-modern world.
~ By Giovanni di Napoli, July 2nd, Feast of the Madonna delle Grazie
