Booklet 3: The Development Of Fascism And The Rise To Power Of Mussolini 1919-1922

Question 1

Mussolini’s background

Answer 1

Father was a socialist
Married a peasant girl
Disobedient as a child

Question 2

Fasci di Combattimento 1919

Answer 2

Rights for ex soldiers
Oppose candidates who don’t support the war
Campaign for Italy to have Fiume

Question 3

How many party members did the fascist party 1922

Answer 3

300,000 and the party controlled large parts of Italy

Question 4

Squadristi violence

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Industrialists appeal of fascism

Answer 5

Thought the government had weak responses to socialism
Fascism was attempting to break socialism through Italy

Question 6

Major landowners appeal to fascism

Answer 6

Fascists broke strikes
Forced unions to disband

Question 7

Ex soldiers appeal to fascism

Answer 7

Felt the mutilated victory had betrayed Italy
Strong assertion of nationalism and returned soldiers in positions of power

Question 8

Small landowners appeal to fascism

Answer 8

Felt threatened by socialist policies about land redistribution
Fascist weakened socialist land power

Question 9

Working class appeal to fascism

Answer 9

Concerns about strikes
Opposed the violence used against labourers

Question 10

Petty bourgeoisie appeal to fascism

Answer 10

Angry at taxes
Revolt against the king and nationalise businesses

Question 11

Young people and students appeal to fascism

Answer 11

Tired of corruption and old liberal order

Question 12

1919 fascist policies

Answer 12

Common education for all
Abolition of obligatory military service
Universal male suffrage

Question 13

1921 fascist policies

Answer 13

Obligatory military service
Belief in WW1
taxes proportional to income

Question 14

The New Programme

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Pact of Pacification

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Most significant factors in the rise of fascism

Answer 16

Italians felt like Italy needed a new direction after WWI
Italian elites feared a communist revolution
Fascist violence was seen as strong confrontation

Question 17

Mussolini during WWI

Answer 17

Volunteered in the war but became wounded in training
Became a nationalist and believed Italy needed a new government

Question 18

Black shirts

Answer 18

Front line against socialist threat
Black shirt was a symbol of uniformity

Question 19

How did the party become stronger

Answer 19

Grew from 20,000 to 200,000
38 fascists elected to parliament including Mussolini

Question 20

March on Rome

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Results of march on Rome

Answer 21

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