Consent and Control 1 Flashcards
What were fascist aims pertaining to the indoctrination of youth and education?
To create a loyal generation of Italian fascists
What happened to other youth movements?
all other youth movements were initially banned apart from those of the RCC
When were fascist youth organisations first formed?
- Dec 1921, Fascist Youth Front formed; boys 14-17
- March 1923, GUF formed; university student wing
- 1923, ONB (Balilla) formed; 8-14
–> not well structured, had to compete with other parties’ youth organisations
What changes were made to the ONB?
- April 1926, ONB created by formal decree
- 1934, ONB restructured;
Sons of the she wolf 6-8, Balilla 8-14, Avanguardisti 14-17
Daughters of the she wolf 6-8, Piccole Italiane 8-13, Young Italian Women 14-17 - 1937, became compulsory for all children aged 6-11
- 1939, membership became compulsory beyond 11
What was the Ministry of National Education?
- formed in 1929 to oversee the education + physical training of Italian youth
- controlled all fascist youth organisations
- aimed to create new, loyal, strong generation of fascists
Membership of fascist youth clubs statistics
1924, 3,000 children formally involved with fascist youth organisations
1937, (before membership became compulsory) 7 million members
Was being a member of a fascist youth club advantageous (beyond the compulsory age)?
Yes
- non-members found it more difficult to enrol in further education, could not work in the civil service, their families were suspected of being antifascists and could even lose their right to welfare benefits
- members had access to jobs and special scholarships
What were children taught at fascist youth organisations?
- boys; 8-14 moral and spiritual defence of country, 14+ gymnastic and sporting programmes to prepare for military life (marching, wrestling, shooting, bomb throwing etc.)
- girls; gymnastics to ensure they could be fit mothers + bear children, educated on love of Italy + Mussolini
–> 1937 survey by PNF in Rome found that girls were more interested in sporting activities provided to boys than becoming mothers
What changes were made to the education system?
- 1920s, antifascist teachers removed
- 1926, policy introduced banning textbooks that lacked suitable patriotic content; 101/317 history textbooks banned
- 1929, Giovanni Gentile replaced as Minister for Education; he aimed to improve literacy rates, but gov. wanted focus on indoctrination + obediance
- 1931, teachers had to swear an oath to the fascist regime and could only be employed if they recieved a diploma after 1923
- 1933, became compulsory for teachers to belong to the PNF
What changes were made to the education system?
- 1920s, antifascist teachers removed
- 1926, policy introduced banning textbooks that lacked suitable patriotic content; 101/317 history textbooks banned
- 1929, Giovanni Gentile replaced as Minister for Education; he aimed to improve literacy rates, but gov. wanted focus on indoctrination + obediance
- 1931, teachers had to swear an oath to the fascist regime and could only be employed if they recieved a diploma after 1923
- 1933, became compulsory for teachers to belong to the PNF
What did the GUF do?
less focus on formal fascist education or military training
- mainly ran the ‘Littoriali’; national student games involving cultural and debate competitions on fascist themes 1934-1940
- members given free access to sports facilities, half-price admission to entertainement, part exemption from military service, enchanced career prospects
How successful was fascist indoctrination of youth and education?
- membership was desirable; not because of a belief in fascism but social/sporting activities and social benefits
- less successful in south; less ONB members older than 11 because of nature of agricultural work
- less successful amongst girls; less likely to continue schooling or be ONB members after age of 11 as made to do duller activities = les enjoyment
- loyal fascists?; many dedicated Italian soliders in WW2 yet antifascist forced largely made up of young people too
When was the OND formed?
Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro
- formed in April 1925 after Mussolini agreed to demands made by fascist trade unions
- ‘National Afterwork Club’ or ‘Italian Fascist Leisure and Recreational Organisation for Adults’
- 1925, Mario Giani in charge
- –> April 1927, Augusto Turati took charge and turned it into an auxiliary of the party
- –> 1930s, Achille Starace became leader and the OND became primarily recreational
What were the aims of the OND?
- replace socialist organisations for workers welfare + recreation (closed shortly after fascists came to power)
- increase involvement of the masses within the fascist party
- increase workers’ support for fascism
- create a state of loyal fascists who felt they chose fascism and were not indoctrinated
What was the OND?
- provided workers with social events and establishments (eg. bars, billiard halls, cycling groups, radio, plays, concerts, film showings, libraries, sports teams etc.)
- each section had a clubhouse and a recreational ground
- membership benefits; discounted railway travel,some social insurance, subsidised holidays
- no direct promotion of fascist beliefs and ideology