3- Domestic Policy

Question 1

What were Mussolini’s aims in domestic policy and how did he seek to achieve this?

Answer 1

-Mussolini’s dream= „turn Italians into Fascists”
-To achieve this, it was necessary above all to win hearts & minds of youth; indoctrinating young generation via education in schools + universities & via fascist takeover of youth organisations
-Fascist policies towards education & youth aimed to transform Italian girls into future mothers, Italian boys into future warriors
-Regime also gave high priority to shaping lives of women; one of Mussolini’s aims= increase Italy’s population from 40m-60m, required Italian women to regard motherhood as their ‘patriotic duty’
-Their role was to be at heart of traditional family life, preferably in rural environment, giving birth to as many children as possible
-Led to fascist policy towards women & family like Battle for Births

Question 2

Why was there a change in the role of women as time went on, particularly the 1930s?

Answer 2

There was increasing State intervention in society, altering patterns of female employment + involving women in process of ‘fascistisation’

Question 3

What was the 1923 Gentile Reform?

Answer 3

-Was a major restructuring of the education system
-Mussolini chose as his Minister of Education respected philosopher Giovanni Gentile, regarded w/ suspicion by party activists, who didn’t think he was fascist enough
-The Gentile Refort followed a very elitist & academic approach, including strict national examinations
-Gentile defended academic freedom in universities; popular w/ intellectuals & traditional Conservatives,

Question 4

What was the opposition to the Gentile Report from different major groups?

Answer 4

-Fascist extremists, who wanted to purge liberals & democrats from teaching profession, above all from universities & make radical reforms in education to indoctrinate the young
-Middle-class supporters of Fascists, who wanted education system to benefit ‘ordinary’ children, not just brilliant & best
-The Catholic Church, who wanted fascist regime to introduce Catholic instruction into secondary schools, break away completely from anti-clerical approach to education that had been in place in old Liberal Italy

Question 5

What did Mussolini do in response to Gentile Reform opposition and why?

Answer 5

-Mussolini did not want to upset the competing groups
-He removed Gentile from the education ministry in 1924
-Many of Gentile’s reforms were shelved/watered down & as w/ many other aspects of Fascist Italy
-Education policies= mostly cautious during 1920s
-Only later, after 1929, there was a major effort to reorganise education along fascist lines

Question 6

TBC Page 62