2. Mussolini gains power 1920–22 Flashcards
Result of 1921 election
Parliament was made up of: • 123 socialists • 15 communists • 107 PPI • 35 fascist deputies
It was impossible to form a stable government and Giolitti chose to resign
Giolitti was followed by Bonomi and then Facta - both weak liberal politicians unable to deal with problems facing italy
Giolitti
Despised nationalist italians due to his anti-interventionist policy during WWI
Employed his old tactics of compromise and absorption to address the political unrest - didn’t work due to greater ideological divides
trasformismo
Giolitti
Despised nationalist italians due to his anti-interventionist policy during WWI
Employed his old tactics of compromise and absorption to address the political unrest - didn’t work due to greater ideological divides
Why was the split of the PSI and advantage to Mussolini? 1921
Weakened the political strength of the left wing movement - PCI was too small to provide a political threat via ballet box or revolution
Provided propaganda that this formation of the PCI was proof that italy was on the verge of revolution
Left wing political unrest 1922
In july 1922 the PSI and PCI backed a 24-hour general strike across Italy - most workers did not support the new move and the strike faded out
Mussolini claimed the failure of the strikes was due to fascists (myth that PNF had spared italy from revolution)
Dual policy
Involved balancing the radical revolutionary members of the PNF and those who were more conservative members
“What was dual policy?
Involved balancing the radical revolutionary members of the PNF and those who were more conservative members
Gaining power through violence vs legitimately
Violence of the squads were the basis for fascist strength and a possible means to overthrow the government and seize power through force
Mussolini still hoped he could manoeuvre himself into the position of prime minister
End of squadristi violence before M became pm
In july 1921 Mussolini called for an end to squadristi violence concerned that supporters among the middle classes and industrialists would question why violence was continuing when the fear of communist revolution was fading
Pact of Pacification
Signed in August 1921 by Mussolini with the PSI members in parliament - claimed it was necessary for political/social peace
Real reason: Mussolini hoped that the liberals and Catholics would come to a deal to stop him working with the socialists
Condemned by powerful ras bosses (hatred of the socialists) - Mussolini resigned and his absence demonstrated his crucial role
Evidence of gaining power legitimately
Mussolini like Giolitti was skilful at buying off potential opponents within the party - Grandi was offered a prominent role on a new fascist journal
At the end of 1921 the squads were more formally organised being grouped in ‘cohorts’ under the command of ‘consols’ who were organised under zone commanders
PNF conference 1921
in november 1921 fascist delegates voted to support mussolini as leader and confirm the organisation of the movement into an official party
Ras were now under the leadership of the party
Concession - Mussolini had to drop the Pact of Pacification
Gaining power through violence
Mussolini realised the best means to gain power appeared to be through squadristi violence instead of compromise and political deals and actively encouraged an upsurge in fascist violence (hoping he could use this to blackmail the government into giving him power)
Evidence of dual policy
Mussolini promised if the fascists were accepted within a government coalition he would pursue a moderate conservative policy, backing the monarchy, reducing taxes
At the same time he encouraged squads to attack Bolzano and Trent (towns held by conservative liberals)
Increase in fascist violence in 1922
From Spring 1922 Blackshirts attacked areas where socialists controlled the local council - met with inadequate responses from the liberal government
By september 1922 squads murdered socialist leasers, burning offices and forcing left-wing councils to resign
End of 1922: fascists had become the de facto government of many Italian provinces
