1912-1915 Flashcards
When did Giolitti initially extend the franchise and for who?
1912
Only literate men over 21 —> all men with complete military service and all men over 30 years old
Why did Giolitti extend the franchise in 1912?
He believed it would:
-increase national unity
-strengthen vote in rural + industrial areas which dont tend to be radical
= increase popularity of liberals, undermine popularity of PSI
When was the first election under new suffrage?
1913
What happened in the first election under extended suffrage?
- liberals won 318 seats = loss of 71 seats from 1909
- socialists, nationalists, radicals and catholics gained seats
What scandal emerged after the 1913 elections?
- President of Catholic Electoral Union, Count Gentiloni said that he secretly asked liberal politicians to agree to 7 key points in return for the Catholic vote
- also claimed that 228/318 liberal seats owed election to the church
- Giolitti claimed to know nothing of the pact
How did Giolitti’s concessions and conspiracy with the church affect his position as PM?
-Transformismo impossible as Giolitti’s concessions to the church angered socialists and anti-clerical liberals
-March 1914 they withdrew their support for Giolitti after Count Gentiloni’s claims
=Giolitti resigned as PM
What happened as a result of Giolitti’s resignation as PM in 1914?
Infuriated the catholics who felt that with the anti-clerical faction of government gone, Giolitti could’ve formed a new, pro-catholic, block
Who took over from Giolitti in 1914 and what did he hope to achieve?
Antonio Salandra = very conservative liberal
—> hoped to revive liberalism by linking it closely with nationalism
How did Red Week begin?
June 1914, 3 protesters shot dead by police in Ancona
—> PSI proclaimed national strike
—> anarchists, republicans and other radicals joined in
What happened during Red Week?
- public buildings torched
- tax registers destroyed
- railways stations seized
- churches attacked
How did Red Week end?
Trade unions agreed to call of strike
Consequences of Red Week
- 100s of workers died to fight authorities
- verge of revolution
- demonstrated class + ideological divisions in Italy
Which alliance was Italy originally in?
Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy
Since 1882
Why was Italy not obligated to join Austria-Hungary when war broke out in August 1914?
A-H had not consulted Italy’s government before declaring war on Serbia
= Italy remained neutral
How did the war in 1914 split Italy’s members of parliament?
Divided on question whether Italy should join the war, and on which side (interventionists vs non-interventionists)
What did non-interventionists believe?
- Italy was not economically ready to fight in major war (especially so soon after war in Libya)
- Italy could gain by negotiating with both sides to stay neutral
=majority of Italians and many members of parliament including Giolitti
What did interventionists believe?
- hoped victory in war would unite Italy and inspire Italian nationalism
- hoped it would distract from domestic problems
- if Germany and A-H won, they wouldn’t be sympathetic to an ally who failed to come to their side
=PM Salandra
What did Salandra do that ended the intervention crisis in parliament?
Salandra and Sidney Sonnino (foreign secretary) began secret negotiations with both sides of the war
—> triple entente offered best deal (gain of many irredente lands)
What was the ‘Treaty of London’ and when was it signed?
26th April 1915
—> Italy pledged to support Britain, France and Russia in the war
Why did the ‘Treaty of London’ cause a stir?
- conducted in complete secrecy, even army generals didn’t know
- PSI + most catholics (including the Pope) were firmly against intervention
- most provincial Italians were reported to be afraid of war and had little concern for the irredente lands
What happened as a result of the ‘Treaty of London’?
- rallies in support of war were held in the streets
- neutralists were called ‘traitors’
- parliament continued to be divided
- Salandra resigned as PM
What did the King do after Salandra resigned 1915?
The King invited Giolitti to form a new government, but he refused
Why did Giolitti refuse to form a new government in 1915?
- Treaty of London couldn’t be ignored as then Italy would betray both sides
- King might abdicate if Treaty not honoured
- Giolitti couldn’t support the treaty but also didn’t want to risk overthrowing the King
Who ended up forming a government after Salandra’s resignation and Giolitti’s refusal, 1915?
The King turned to Salandra again
—>Salandra reinstated as PM on 16th May 1915
What did the parliament grant Salandra’s new government, 1915?
Emergency powers
Who was opposed to the granting of emergency powers to Salandra’s government?
-PSI voted against Salandra’s emergency powers
= only left-wing party in Europe not to support their country’s intervention in WWI
When did Italy formally declare war on Austria-Hungary?
25th May 1915
