Benedetto Croce

Italian philosopher and politician. He wrote numerous topics including philosophy of history and aesthetics. Raised in a very strict Catholic family. Around the age of 18, he turned away from Catholicism and became an atheist, remaining so for the rest of his life. After an earthquake in 1883, his parents and only sister were all killed, while he was buried for a very long time and barely survived. After the incident he inherited his family's fortune and was able to live the rest of his life in relative leisure, enabling him to devote a great deal of time to philosophy.

He was the Minister of Education. He was an open critic of Italy's participation in World War I. He openly opposed the Fascict Party till his death in 1952.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedett...