Mussolini (in inglese), Study notes of History

Download Mussolini (in inglese) and more Study notes History in PDF only on Docsity!

Fascist Italy and Mussolini: (ch.13)

!

Background Information:

• in 1919 Benito Mussolini founded the Italian fascist party
• Gradually Mussolini took on the powers of a dictator and attempted to control the entire way of life of the Italian people
• At first it seems like his authoritarian regime would bring benefits to Italy but later, when he made the great mistake of entering WWII on the side of Germany, he lost a lot of support because Italians suffered important defeats by the part of Britiain who captured Italy’s african possessions and occupied Sicily.
• Italians turn against Mussolini—> he got arrested and killed

!

Why was Mussolini able to come to power? 1919 was a tough period: atmosphere of disillusionment and frustration

!

1. Disappointment at Italy’s gains from Versailles Treaty: When Italy entered war, allies had promised her Trentino, South Tyrol, Istria, Trieste, part of Dalmatia, Adalia and a protectorate over Albania. Although she was given the first 4 areas the rest were given to other states. Italians felt cheated

!

2. Economic efforts of the war: Effects of war on standard living and economy were disastrous. The government had borrowed a lot of money and now these debts had to be repaid.

• (^) Massive unemployment
• (^) Value of lira decreased therefore cost of living increased
• (^) Heavy industry cut its production

!

3. Growing content for the parliamentary system: Votes for all men and representation were introduced in 1919

• (^) this meant more parties in parliament
• (^) therefore it was harder for a party to get overall majority so coalition governments were inevitable
• (^) No consistent policy was possible

!

4. Wave of strikes in 1919-

• Strong trade unions were formed
• Strikes
• Factory occupations

!

5. Mussolini attracted widespread support

• he aimed to rescue Italy from a feeble government and give the country a political system that would provide a stable and strong government
• Fascists were anti-monarchy, anti-church and unti-big business
• He also obtained support of property-owners in general because they saw him as a guarantee of law and order and protector of their property

!

!

!

5. Lack of effective oppositions

• Anti-fascist groups failed to cooperate with each other and made no efforts to keep the fascists out.
• Communists refused to cooperate with socialists

!

6. Attempted general strike 1922

• Fascists announced that if the government failed to stop the strike, they would do it
• Strike filed due to lack of support
• Mussolini felt confident it was the right moment for “march on Rome”
• Prime minister—> Luigi Facta was prepared to resist
• King Victor Emanuel stays by the side of Mussolini and invites him to go to Rome and form a new government
• Power was achieved legally—> Mussolini used no violence to become Prime Minister
• COALITION GOVERNMENT created: there was the fascist party together with other parties

!

Why did the king nominate Mussolini as Prime Minister?

• Lack of confidence in Facta
• He believed a strong leader was needed
• He was against communism
• Has a good plan to aid Italy

!

!

What was Mussolini’s fascist state composed of?

!

• A stable and authoritarian government:
• (^) The italian fascist movement aroused in a moment in which there was no stable government and no decisive leadership.
• (^) An authoritarian government would arouse and mobilise the great mass of ordinary people and would control as many aspects of their lives as possible with strong discipline.

!

• Extreme Nationalism:
• (^) rebirth of the nation after a period of decline
• (^) build up the greatness and prestige of the state with the implication that one’s own nation is better than the others.

!

• A one-party state was essential:
• (^) No place for democratic debate
• (^) Only fascism could provide the necessary dynamic to guarantee Italy a great future.
• (^) Mussolini didn’t see himself as prime minister or president, but as the “Duce” (leader)
• (^) Fascism was especially hostile to communism which explains its popularity with wealthy and big business.

!

• Economic self-sufficiency:
• (^) Would improve the internal economy of the country
• (^) Wanted to impose the internal trade instead of international trade.

!

!

• Great use was made of propaganda:
• (^) Uniforms, marches, songs, displays all to demonstrate that fascists were a completely new and better alternative to the “boring” old-fashioned parties
• (^) Wanted to mobilise the mass to support Mussolini
• (^) Great manipulation of propaganda to show false images

!

• Military strength and violence:
• (^) Fundamental of the fascists ideologies
• (^) Prepared to use extreme violence against opponents
• (^) Extreme ideals

!

Mussolini tries to introduce the Fascist State:

• Mussolini was the prime minister of a coalition governments (several parties took part)

1. Black shirt private army got legalised becoming the National State Voluntary Militia (MVSN)
2. Accerbo law (1923): changed the rules of general elections: from now on the party which got most votes in general elections would automatically et 2/3 of the seats in the parliament. (On the next elections Fascists won) 3.Great success for the fascist due to:

• (^) Fear: black-shirts squads of fascists regularly attacked and burned local socialist headquarters. People were not able to vote freely because any opposition would be punished
• (^) People were hoping for someone who would create a stable government and a better situation in Italy. Desperation of the people was an important cause for the rise of Fascism

4. In 1924 Mussolini used a mixture of violence and intimidation to develop an italian government and society along the lines of fascism.
5. By 1930 control over politics was complete

!

Mussolini’s reforms to create a Fascist Italy:

• Only Fascist party allowed:
• (^) Opponents of Regime were exiled or murdered ex. Giacomo Matteotti (socialist leader in government—> killed)
• (^) These consequences were not “approved” by the population
• (^) But nobody had the will or force to unite the opposite to overthrow the fascist
• (^) There was a lot of fear
• (^) Mussolini was now responsible only to the king, not to the parliament
• (^) Prime minister could rule by decree (new laws didn't need to be discussed in parliament)
• (^) Electorate was reduced from 10 million to 3 million (the wealthiest)
• (^) All decisions were taken by Fascist Grand Council, which did what Mussolini ordered.

!

• Changes in local government:
• (^) Elected town councils and mayors were abolished, now towns were run by officials appointed from Rome.

!

• Education Supervised:
• (^) Teachers had to wear uniforms
• (^) News textbooks were written to glorify the fascist system
• (^) Children and young people were encouraged to join government youth organisations such as the Gioventù Italian del Littorio—> aimed to indoctrinate children with fascist ideals

• Employment Policies:
• (^) Corporate state—> designed to create cooperation between employers and workers
• (^) Strikes not allowed
• (^) Mussolini wanted to directly control workers
• (^) Workers lost freedom but gained other rights: more holidays, etc…

!

• An understanding was reached with the pope:
• (^) Papacy had been hostile to italian government since 1870 when all territory which belonged to papacy had been incorporated into the new kingdom of Italy.
• (^) Pope Pius IX disapproved the increasing totalitarian fascism in Italy.
• (^) Church had a lot of power in Italy and Mussolini had to have good relations with it
• (^) Lateran Pact: I. was made between Mussolini and the pope II. it stated that the State recognised the Vatican City as a sovereign state, accepted the Catholic faith as the official state religion, III. made religious instruction compulsory in all schools IV. left the Church free to continue its spiritual mission without interference with the government. V. Church also recognised the kingdom of Italy and promised not to interfere in politics

!

Propaganda and Censorship:

• Great importance attached to Propaganda—> it attempted to brainwash the Italian people into accepting fascist values and cultures.
• Strict press censorship was enforced
• anti-fascist newspapers banned or their editors were replaced by fascist supporters
• Mussolini was always depicted as a heroic figure to show his cult and greatness.
• Slogans: “Mussolini is always right”

!

!

Racial policy:

• Mussolini didn’t show great interest in problems problems that had to do with race
• However that italians belonged to an Aryan race that was superior to such nationalities as Spaniards and Greeks, as well as to Africans in the Italian territories such as Anyssinia and Lybia.
• 1939—> Mussolini introduced anti-jew laws
• Population did not approve, but nobody rebelled because they would get immediately killed
• Following the hostile reception from France and Britain of the Italian invasion of Abyssinia in 1935 and their imposition of economic sanctions in Italy, Mussolini had to push towards an alliance with Hitler, which meant following his steps
• Full alliance with Germany: Pact of Steel (1939)
• Mussolini wanted to emulate Hitler
• Another reason why he changed his mind on jews and other ethnicities was because of the Italian possessions in Africa: It was important for italians to emphasise their domination on arabs and africans.
• Began by urging people not to employ Jews and to sack those already in job.
• People protested but press released articles justifying the act.

!

!

!

How totalitarian was Mussolini’s system?

• Mussolini did not succeed in creating a complete/total totalitarian regime
• He never really completely eliminated the influence of the King or Pope
• People were partially in favour and not, what was important to them was to know whether Mussolini would save Italy from the strong economic crisis that was invading Italy.
• Much of the policies were concerned with economy
• Italy didn't have to depend on other countries for economic profit

!

Benefits of Fascism to Italian Population:

1. Industry was encouraged

• with government subsides
• Productions increased

!

2. The “Battle for the Lira”

• Mussolini believed that Italy needed a strong currency to be a strong state
• He revalued the lira to 90, this had mixed results:
• (^) Helped some industries by making imported raw materials cheaper
• (^) Made italian exports more expensive—> led to reduced orders
• (^) Workers suffered wage reduction due to less production

!

3. “Battle for Wheat”

• Encouraged farmers to concentrate on wheat production and raised tariffs in imports wheat as part of the drive for self-sufficiency.
• Italy was close to achieving self-sufficiency in wheat production

!

4. “Battle of Births”

• Was a campaign to increase birth rate
• Aim: double the birth rate
• Method: taxing unmarried man heavily
• Severe penalties for abortions

!

5. A programme of land reclamation was launched (1928)

• Draining marshes
• Irrigation
• Planting forests in mountainous areas

!

6. Public works programme was designed

• Aim: to reduce unemployment

!

7. The “after-work”

• Organization provided the Italian people with things to do in their leisure time
• Aim: to appease the workers for the loss of their trade unions and the right to strike, and it was genuinely popular.
• Promote the Image of Italy as a great power

!

!

!

Unsolved Problems: 1.Little had been done to remedy Italy’s basic shortage of raw materials, Italy was still highly depending economically on Nazi Germany.

2. Although the battle of wheat was a victory it achieved only at the expense of dairy and arable farming. Agriculture remained inefficient and farm labourers the poorest class.
3. Great Depression began in 1929 with Wall Street Crash in the USA
4. Sanctions placed by the LON to Italy also affected economy.
5. No approaching of a Welfare State: no official government health insurance until 1943
6. Regime was inefficient and corrupt

!

Opposition and Downfall:

!

Why was Mussolini overthrown?

• Entry in WWII on Germany’s side:
• (^) Disastrous mistake
• (^) Many italians were against it
• (^) Mussolini failed to modernised Italy to support a war
• (^) Italy incapable of entering a war
• (^) People couldn’t protest

!

- General public suffered hardships

• (^) Taxes were increased to pay for war
• (^) Massive inflation
• (^) Mussolini wanted to continue the war until the end, but Italy was strongly affected by it.
• (^) Fascist Gran Council turned against Mussolini and the king dismissed him
• (^) Nobody moved to save him

!

Verdict on Italian Fascism:

• Roots of fascism lay in traditional Italian society and that the movement grew to fruition in the circumstances after the First World War.
• Until WWII economy was growing and Italy was modernising very fast
• His domestic policies did improve Italians’ life and standards
• Fascisn: “short-term moral infection”

!

Mussolini’s Foreign Policies: Aim: Make Italy great, respected and feared

• 1923-
• (^) Locarno Conference: agreement did not guarantee the italian frontier with Austria
• (^) He was friendly towards Greece, Hungary and especially Albania, economic and defenced agreements were signed with the result that Albania was basically controlled by Italy
• (^) Cultivated good relations with Britain: supported her demand that Turkey should hand over Mosul to Iraq and in return the British gave to Italy a small part of Somaliland.
• (^) Italy became first state after Britain to recognise the USSR, a non-aggression pact was signed by the two

!

!

!

!

• After 1934
• (^) Mussolini joined the French and British in condemning the German action and guaranteeing Austria.
• (^) Italian Invasion of Abyssinia
• (^) Italian victory over ill-equipped and unprepared Ethiopians
• (^) Mussolini snt extensive help to Franco in the Spanish Civil war
• (^) Rome-Berlin Axis
• (^) Munich Agreement 1938
• (^) Mussolini signed a full alliance with Germany (the Pact of Steel)