2. Mussolini and the development of fascism 1919–22 Flashcards
Name of the Fascist organization created by Mussolini
Fasci di Combattimento
Date of the formation of the fascist party
23 March 1919
Members of the original fascist party
Predominantly made up of arditi - crack troop commandos who had been formed in the WWI after Caporetto - during the war they wore a black uniform so it became the identity of the fascist movement as members were known as the ‘blackshirts’
The original programme
- Suffrage to be extended to women and younger italians
- Confiscation of church property
- End to the monarchy and the formation of a republic
- Nationalisation of the armaments industry/the confiscation of profits from companies who had made large profits from the war
- Eight hour working day and the abolition of the senate.
SCENE
Squadrismo
Small military units formed of returning soldiers from WWI who saw socialists/workers participating in strike action as the internal enemy and responded with violent action
Evidence of Squadrismo violence in the beginning
In April 1919, 200/300 Squadrismo attacked a socialist demonstration in Milan and burned down the Milan offices of Avanti
Attacked socialist campaign meetings and PSI members - 200 people killed + 1000 wounded in this violence against the socialists in the first 5 months of 1921
State response to Squadrismo violence against the workers
None of the squadrismo were arrested as police stood by and allowed fascists to attack socialists sometimes even actively joining
Italian judiciary showed leniency those brought before the courts for attacks against the socialists
result of fears of a socialist revolution
Significance of Squadrismo violence - propaganda
violence broke the power of socialists but helped create the myth of fascism - that their ‘war’ against the socialists had ‘saved’ italy from revolution
Significance of Squadrismo violence - respect from other politicians
Respectable liberal politicians who feared the socialist threat shared the belief the squads were restoring law and order to italy and rescuing the country from radicalism and the fate of Russia in 1917
Success of violence/shift to the right - Election results on 1921
shown in the election held in may 1921: fascists won 7% of the vote and 35 parliamentary seats which gave mussolini respectability as a member of parliament
Reorganisation of the Fascists
Fasci di Combattimento was reorganized into the National Fascist Party in 1921 (PNF)
The PNF and the ‘New Programme’
May 1920
• More conservative and right wing
• Dropping any mentions of removing the monarchy or attacking the power of the Pope
• References to nationalisation of businesses and a more pro-business attitude was taken
• More militaristic in tone calling for compulsory military service and unification of the Italian Irrendente
Extent of fascist support
The PNF had grown to around 200,000 members by the end of 1921
Support was united by:
• Strong patriotism
• Hatred of socialists and the weak liberal government
• Belief in Mussolini as the man who could lead Italy to a stronger more united future
Who did Fascism appeal to and why?
Middle class, professional white-collar workers and small business owners - feared socialist revolution/increase in taxes
Richer landowners and Italian industrialists - supported fascist attempts to break union power
Italians tired of corruption and lethargy of the liberals - fascism was a dynamic alternative
Some workers and peasant farmers - opposed socialists
