Booklet 1: The Liberal State 1911-1918 Flashcards
Who was Giolitti?
Sought cooperation between socialists and capitalists
Served as prime minister on 4 different occasions
Committed liberal
Favoured the creation of an Italian overseas empire.
What did the catholics want to achieve 1911-1914
The pope had refused to recognise Italy as a state
The pope had a desire to defeat socialism
Catholics weren’t a political party
The catholics allied with liberals to stop socialism
What did the Nationalists (ANI) want to achieve?
Anti-parliament, wanted to overthrow liberals
Anti-socialist
Spoke up for businessmen and producers
Supported middle class men
What did the Socialists (PSI) want to achieve?
Votes for all men
8 hour working day
Women’s rights
Strikes for workers
What did the liberals want to achieve?
Establish uniformity and order
Coalitions and trasformismo
Represented the professional/middle class
Very secular
Main problem initially facing Giolitti
Every different group has different ideologies so not all of them can be satisfied
No group will compromise ideologies so deals can’t be made
Giolitti response to the socialists
Brings in some socialist policies:
Maternity fund
Bans employment of children under 12
Limiting women’s working day to 11hours
Other groups responses to Giolitti and the socialists
Liberals- afraid people will start voting for the socialists
Nationalists- hate socialists
Catholics- hate socialists
Giolitti response to the Catholics
Prepared to offer concession in return for support
Catholic electoral union
Giolitti refuses to make concessions about the Roman question
Other groups responses to Giolitti and Catholics
Socialists- don’t like the church
Liberals- feel betrayed as believe in secularism, split the group
Nationalists- believe it highlights liberal weakness
Giolitti response to the Nationalists
Tried to mainly ignore them
Takes nationalist policy- invades Libya
Embraced nationalism by expanding their empire.
Other groups reactions to Giolitti and nationalists
Nationalists- means nothing to them, don’t want to be a part of it
Catholics- happy with invasion, more land to turn catholic
Liberals- support invasion, brings nation together
Socialists- radicals protest the invasion, party splits in half, kicks out moderates
Winners and losers of Giolittis working with other groups
Winners- radical socialists, Catholics, nationalists (discovered they had influence)
Losers- moderate socialists, liberals
What was the extension of the franchise 1912?
New law passes to increase the vote to include men aged 30 and above no matter their literacy rate.
Impacts of extension of the franchise
Giolitti believed that increased suffrage would undermine the PSI
many men who fought in Libya didn’t have the literacy level to vote, so they were effected positively.
70% of voters were illiterate, hoped to increase national unity.
First election with new suffrage was a failure for Giolitti.
How did Giolitti appease the conservatives?
Invasion of Libya
Introduced a liberal program of reform and economic modernisation
Coalition with catholics
Giolittis key social policies
Significant decline in illiteracy in Italy more than 10%
Remained opposed to strikes in the public sector
Maternity fund meant families were paid 40 lire per new baby
Giolittis key economic policies
Car companies flourished, by 1911 there were 6 major car producers in Turin alone
Textiles especially silk thrived
From 1908 there was a downturn in the economy
Giolittis key political policies
Electoral franchise extended from 3 million to 8.5 million.
By 1911 Catholics were part of the governing coalitions in big cities like Turin and Florence.
In 1913 liberals lost 71 seats, all liberals that won were very dependent on Catholics
When did Giolittis resign
1914
Reasons for Libya war in 1911
Need to assert claims in the region
Powerful business interests
Popular enthusiasm for the invasion
Hoped to weaken nationalist support
Libya war successes
Greeted with national enthusiasm even from socialist leaders
Gained short term support
Liberals believed it signified the country’s unity
Libya war failures
Forced to keep 50,000 troops in Libya
3,500 Italian deaths
Increased ANI support
Denounced the liberals blamed their weakness
ANI views of WW1
Pro war rallies were held
A neutral Italy would be weak and isolated after the war
PSI views of WW1
Anti war demonstrations by peasants and workers
Salandra liberals view of WW1
War would lead to a stronger government
Giolitti liberals view of WW1
Italy was not ready either militarily or economically
Would have to make huge sacrifices for the war effort as it lacked financial and industrial resources
Catholics view of WW1
Pope Benedict XV was against Italian insolvent, could be high casualties, Austria was catholic
Nationalists at salandra’s cabinet meeting 1915
In support of war
Wanted iredente land
Wanted to be a great power of Europe
Raise national spirit of Italy
Salandra at cabinet meeting 1915
In support
Treaty of London
Stronger government
Working class at Salandra meeting 1915
No working class support
Halt progress with social issues
Anti war demonstrations by
Catholics at Salandra cabinet meeting 1915
Austria and Hungary were catholic
Pope anti European war
Giolitti at Salandra cabinet meeting 1915
Workers wouldn’t make a strong army
Financial sacrifices, distracting from social reform
Anti war demonstrations
Salandras decision 1915
Salandra and foreign minister negotiate with UK and France, get offered land
26 April 1915 Italy signed treaty of london
When did Italy join WW1
25 May 1915 with Entente
When did Salandra resign?
18th June 1916
Battle of Caporetto
October 1917
Austrians and Germans attacked the weak Italian forces.
At least 200,000 soldiers lost contact
300,000 taken prisoner
General Cordona blamed the soldiers
Replaced by General Diaz
Orlando becomes PM
Battle of Vittorio Veneto
October 1918
German army in retreat
Italy attacked A+H forces
Took 500,000 prisoners, Austrian forces collapsed
Overall deaths in WW1 for Italy
650,000
Negative results of WW1
Cost 148billion lire
North south divide increased
Economy became inbalanced
Positive effects of WW1
War based industry thrived
9,000 miles added to Italy
Italys border more secure
