Church-state tensions in the 1930s

Question 1

Did the Concordat completely smoothen over church-state relations?

Answer 1

• Not completely peaceful throughout the 1930s
• Several areas of considerable tensions

Question 2

What was the main area of disagreement?

Answer 2

• Catholic Action’s youth organisations

Question 3

Why were both state and church interest in the youth a main area of disagreement

Answer 3

• Due to the youth movements
• Influence they brought being a major aspect for both the Church and PNF’s attempts to ensure the loyalty of the next next generation of Italians

Question 4

Why was the church’s interest in the youth so concerning for the fascists especially?

Answer 4

• Given fascism’s totalitarian aims, having a rival youth organisation with 250,000 members was always troubling

Question 5

Why did conflict increase after 1931?

Answer 5

• Due to changes in leadership to the PNF
• Scorza becoming head of youth organisations in - more hard-line attitudes towards Catholic Action

Question 6

What did Scorza accuse catholic of?

Answer 6

• Organising sport - gaining more influence that agreed in the concordat
• Attempting to form unions

Question 7

How did fascists respond to Catholic’s attempts at increased control?

Answer 7

• Police raids and considerable fascist violence took place on Catholic youth organisations

Question 8

Pope responded to the fascist aggression?

Answer 8

• Pope depicted fascists as evil for stealing children from Christ

Question 9

Relations improved towards late 1931 as…

Answer 9

• An agreement was decided on
• Catholicism to have some influence - stick to religious aspects

Question 10

This was confirmed in 1932 in Rome as…

Answer 10

• Mutual views were agreed upon
• Largely due to fear of communism and mutual hatred of Soviet Union

Question 11

Mussolini’s worry however increased later throughout 1930s as…

Answer 11

• Catholic youth organisations grew to 388,000 members by 1939
• Pope disagreed with Mussolini’s antisemitic views