Booklet 6 - (1922-1940) Fascist Economy

Question 1

How successful were De Stefani’s early economic policies? (anaylise with why or why not)

De Stefani was Mussolini’s original minister of finance.

Answer 1

Highly successful:
- they stabilised the economy
- reduced government spending
- created a free-trade economy by cutting protective tariffs
- privatising the telephone sector and other public owned industries

Question 2

How did Mussolini and the Fascists justify the revaluation of the Lira?

Answer 2

To maintain the prestige of Italy and prevent economic and moral disaster if the Lira collapsed.

They saw it as a battle to protect Italy and make it look stronger.

Question 3

How successful was the ‘Battle for the Lira’?

Answer 3

Very unsuccessful
- exports became more expensive and Italian products were more expensive overseas.
- They had to introduce deflationary measures and price reductions (cuts to workers’ wages and healthcare).

Question 4

Define laissez-faire economics.

Answer 4

Free market economy - little government involvement and capitalist system - privately owned businesses.

Question 5

What was the Battle for the Lira?

Answer 5

A policy to fix the value of the Lira to maintain its value in Europe.

Question 6

Which group(s) most benefited from the Corporate State? why?

Answer 6

The upper class and business owners.

They could represent the working class without giving them a say, controlling how much they got and whether they could strike or not.

Question 7

Which group(s) least benefited from the Corporate State? why?

Answer 7

The working class.

They suffered as they had no say in the decisions made by their representatives, leading to neglect of welfare and wages.

Question 8

How successful was the Corporate State?

Answer 8

Somewhat successful as it allowed Mussolini to neglect the needs of the working class while presenting the illusion of providing aid.

Question 9

What is the Corporate State?

Answer 9

Mussolini’s economic policy revolving around representatives of workers to ensure everyone has a fair say in economic business

Question 10

What is Confindustria?

Answer 10

An Italian organization that represents small, medium, and large businesses.

Question 11

What did the Palazzo Vidoni Pact (1925) achieve?

Answer 11

Brought the fascist trade unions and major industries together, creating an agreement for the industrialists to only recognise certain (fascist) unions.

Question 12

What were the Rocco Laws (1926)?

Answer 12

Laws that organized the economy into twelve separate employer and employee unions, largely state-controlled to suppress opposition.

Question 13

What did the Charter of Labour (1927) declare?

Answer 13

Declared private enterprise to be the most efficient, insisting state intervention was legitimate only where private enterprise was deficient.

Question 14

What were Mussolini’s economic aims? (great depression + autarky)

Answer 14

• To ensure confidence in the banks
• diminish unemployment rates
• keep businesses privatised
• self sufficiency
• strengthen economic rank in Europe

Question 15

List the different policies Mussolini and the Fascists introduced to reach autonomy.

Answer 15

• Battle for Lira
• Battle for Births
• Battle for Grain
• Battle for Land

Question 16

Overall, how successful were Fascist economic policies in meeting their aims? (examples + explain)

Answer 16

Largely successful:
- the corporate state was mostly a success in achieving its aims
- Mussolini’s response to depression was incredibly successful in saving Italy from economic collapse
- despite the drawbacks from the battle for autarky, still kept Italy afloat

Question 17

What were IMI and IRI?

Answer 17

The Italian Industrial Finance Institute (IMI) and the Institute for Industrial Reconstruction (IRI) were set up to bail out failing firms.

Question 18

What was the Battle for Births?

Answer 18

Tried to raise Italy’s birth rate by encouraging women to have more children.

Question 19

What was the Battle for Grain?

Answer 19

An attempt to raise Italy’s own grain production to become self-sufficient.

Question 20

What was the Battle for Land?

Answer 20

Trying to re-vitalise the land around Rome for agriculture and free it from Malaria to improve health and life expectancy.

Question 21

What role did Mussolini play in the Fascist economy?

Answer 21

Worked with Stefani on a free-trade economy and later sought more government involvement. Later believed in fixing the currency to present economic prestige instead of fixing issues. Although he did save italy with the response to the great depression.

Question 22

Who was Alberto de Stefani?

Answer 22

Mussolini’s original minister of finance who supported liberal ideas of a free market economy.

Question 23

What was Giuseppe Volpi’s role?

Answer 23

Minister of Finance from 1925 to 1928, aimed at bringing capitalists closer to fascism.

Question 24

What did Alfredo Rocco introduce?

Answer 24

The Rocco Law in 1926, developing the concept of corporatism.

Question 25

Who was Edmondo Rossoni?

Answer 25

A revolutionary syndicalist leader and Italian fascist politician involved in the fascist syndicalist movement.

Question 26

What was Giuseppe Bottai’s contribution?

Answer 26

Worked for the Ministry of Corporations, introducing the Labour Charter.

Question 27

When was De Stefani appointed as minister of finance?

Answer 27

1922

Question 28

when was battle for land reclamation laws introduced? (2 years)

Answer 28

1923 +28

Question 29

how much land was reclaimed as a result of the battle for land?

Answer 29

80,000 hecatres

Question 30

why the battle for land was not a huge success?

Answer 30

mostly northen reclaimation (south is agricultural) and the land is much less than promised

Question 31

what year was the palazzo vidoni pact and the battle for grain?

Answer 31

1925

Question 32

wheat statistics from 1922-29?

Answer 32

production up 100%, imports fell by 75%

Question 33

what happened in 1926?

Answer 33

Rocco Law, Battle for Lira, Tarrifs on foreign grain imports, Ministry of Corporations introduced