Booklet 3: The Development Of Fascism And The Rise To Power Of Mussolini 1919-1922 Flashcards
Mussolini’s background
Father was a socialist
Married a peasant girl
Disobedient as a child
Fasci di Combattimento 1919
Rights for ex soldiers
Oppose candidates who don’t support the war
Campaign for Italy to have Fiume
How many party members did the fascist party 1922
300,000 and the party controlled large parts of Italy
Squadristi violence
The government tolerated the violence due to their fear of socialism
The myth was created that fascism saved Italy from socialism
Movement was popular in the countryside with wealthy landowners
Industrialists appeal of fascism
Thought the government had weak responses to socialism
Fascism was attempting to break socialism through Italy
Major landowners appeal to fascism
Fascists broke strikes
Forced unions to disband
Ex soldiers appeal to fascism
Felt the mutilated victory had betrayed Italy
Strong assertion of nationalism and returned soldiers in positions of power
Small landowners appeal to fascism
Felt threatened by socialist policies about land redistribution
Fascist weakened socialist land power
Working class appeal to fascism
Concerns about strikes
Opposed the violence used against labourers
Petty bourgeoisie appeal to fascism
Angry at taxes
Revolt against the king and nationalise businesses
Young people and students appeal to fascism
Tired of corruption and old liberal order
1919 fascist policies
Common education for all
Abolition of obligatory military service
Universal male suffrage
1921 fascist policies
Obligatory military service
Belief in WW1
taxes proportional to income
The New Programme
Made to be more appealing to the middle classes and conservatives by the removal of earlier fascist plans for economic and social reform
12-13% of PNF members were students
Pact of Pacification
Signed with socialist trade union, to bring ‘political and social peace’
Mussolini hoped the liberals would come to a deal to stop him working with socialists
Most significant factors in the rise of fascism
Italians felt like Italy needed a new direction after WWI
Italian elites feared a communist revolution
Fascist violence was seen as strong confrontation
Mussolini during WWI
Volunteered in the war but became wounded in training
Became a nationalist and believed Italy needed a new government
Black shirts
Front line against socialist threat
Black shirt was a symbol of uniformity
How did the party become stronger
Grew from 20,000 to 200,000
38 fascists elected to parliament including Mussolini
March on Rome
October 1922 Mussolini announced the march in a speech
Squadristi occupied government offices
King was informed of the growing takeover
Expecting marshal law-army assumed positions in milan
King changed his mind and called off the army
Results of march on Rome
Facta resigned soon after the march, Mussolini appointed pm
Other elites had recommended Mussolini to the king to become pm
Due to the kings weakness and indecisiveness, Mussolini became pm
