Consolidation of Power Flashcards
What did Mussolini’s government look like in 1922, after he was appointed as PM?
coalition of right-wing elements
- 4 fascists
–> Mussolini as PM, Interior Minister, Foreign Minister
- 4 liberals
- 2 PPI
- 1 nationalist
- 3 key independants; General Diaz, Admiral di Revel, Giovanni Gentile
When was Mussolini granted emergency powers?
November 1922 (3 weeks after being appointed)
- emergency powers given for 1 year to reform
- opposed only by socialists and communists
- senate approved 196 to 16
Why was Mussolini granted emergency powers?
(4)
Liberals and conservatives supported because:
- Mussolini as a fresh start for Italy; to replace dead ‘trasformismo’ system and endless coalition governments
- believed Mussolini could be easily influenced; seemed to want to share power, constantly assured chamber he wouldn’t disband government
- fear of the left; fascists seemed to be the only effective defence against left-wing anarchy,
- believed that after socialism was eradicated, fascism could be absorbed and disbanded as lack of clear ideology
What was the Grand Council of Fascism?
- established December 1922
- supreme body of fascist movement
- to increase Mussolini’s authority over his own party
- to make leading fascists feel powerful and important
–> in reality Mussolini had full control over who was on the council = Mussolini controlled party policy
What was the MVSN?
Voluntary Militia for National Security
- founded January 1923
- squads turned into national militia funded by the state
= private army of 300,000+ men under PNF control
- local units led by ex-army officers; 200 ras expelled from party
- members given unifrom + high profile, BUT little power, mostly passive
What was the Cheka?
Mussolini’s secret personal bodyguards
- created in January 1923
- fascist thugs used to terrorise any of Mussolini’s opponents
- led by Ameriquo Dumini
How did Mussolini ensure industrialist support?
didn’t attack tax evasion = convinced confindustria to support him
How did Mussolini ensure Catholic support?
(8)
- buried atheist past & presented as a devout Catholic
- baptised his grown children & had a church wedding
- attacked freemasonry
- increased clerical salaries
- banned anti-clerical publications
- banned contraception
- dropped liberal proposals to tax church property
- introduced religious education in state schools + universities
How successful was Mussolini’s attempt to gain Catholic support?
very
- 1923, Pope Pious XI withdrew his support for the PPI & instructed Sturzo to resign (July) and leave Italy (Oct)
–> mid 1923, PPI dropped out of the governing coalition
PNF membership 1922 - 1923 statistics
October 1922; 300,000 members
End of 1923; 800,000 members
How did Mussolini deal with the nationalists?
- February 1923, ANI shut down and joined the fascists
–> blueshirts merged with the MVSN
–> included many landoweners, senior civil service members, upper-middle class Italians
How did the Acerbo Law work?
law to change the electoral system; each party has a list of candidates and whichever party list wins at least 25% of all votes gets 2/3 of the seats in the chamber of deputies
–> 1/3 allocated to other lists by proportion of votes recieved
When was the Acerbo Law passed?
July 1923
What were the benefits of the Acerbo Law?
ensured that the most popular party could have a strong, majority government, no more coalition governments
What happened in the April 1924 elections?
(first elections under Acerbo Law)
- Mussolini campaigned with right-wing liberals (Salandra), former nationalists, & a few PPI members
- fascists + allies secured 66% of vote = 374/535 seats
- opposition attracted 2.5 million votes; PPI 39 deputies, PSI 46 deputies, liberals 19 deputies
- widespread blackshirt violence + ballot-rigging
- fascists failed to secure a majority in Milan or Turin
Why was Matteotti murdered?
- June 1924, parliament reopened after April 1924 elections and some deputies tried to denounce illegal fascist activities
- -> Giacomo Matteotti (PSI) = biggest spokesperson, produced evidence of fascist violence + terror
- -> within 10 days, Matteotti abducted by fascist thugs in broad daylight and stabbed to death
What was the aftermath of the Matteotti Murder?
(4.5)
- Mussolini denied knowledge of the crime
- chief suspect was Mussolini’s press secretary’s PA
- evidence linking Mussolini to the crime surfaced
= public opinion turned against him; crowds protesting - opposition deputies walked out of parliament and set up their own ‘Aventine Secession’, hoped King would dismiss Mussolini
How did Mussolini deal with the aftermath of the Matteotti Murder?
(4.75)
- put more blackshirts on the streets
- tried to distance himself from the crime
- ordered the arrest of fascist suspects
- appointed conservative Minister of the Interior to show he wanted a fair, open investigation
= reassured the King who refused to dismiss Mussolini (not to strenghten left or chances of a civil war)
–> conservatives + liberals encouraged King to continue to support Mussolini to maintain their power
How did Mussolini end the Matteotti affair?
- December 1924, leading fascists gave Mussolini an ultimatum; if Matteotti affair wasn’t ended immediately and dictatorship set up, they would withdraw their support
- 3rd January 1925, Mussolini addressed parliament and took full responsibility for all fascist actions + violence and promised to provide a strong government without violence or anarchy
- -> prompted a series of arrests
- -> most MPs supported this
How did Mussolini eradicate opposition?
(4)
- July 1924, introduced press censorship (newspapers could no longer criticise government)
- August 1924, banned political meetings by opposition parties
- January 1925, set up a committee to reform the constitution
- by end of 1925, had set up apparatus for a dictatorship
What assassination attempts were made on Mussolini?
- 1925, Major Zaniboni tried to kill Mussolini
- 1926, Violet Gibson (Irish woman) tried to assassinate him
= excuses for stricter measures
When were the Leggi Fascistissime passed?
December 1925
What were the Leggi Fascistissime?
(4)
a series of laws;
- banned all opposing political parties + organisations
- tightened press censorship
- OVRA = new secret police
- special court created for political crimes (anti-fascist activity)
What happened in the wake of the Leggi Fascistissime?
(3)
- police + courts used to banish most opponents; ‘confino’
- government withdrew all passports and reissued them to suitable applicants
- elected majors and councils were replaced by governmant officials; ‘podestas’
How did Mussolini extend his emergency powers?
January 1926, Mussolini was granted the right to issue decrees carrying the full force of the law
–> by the end of 1926, parliament couldn’t debate proposed laws or criticise the government
How did Mussolini ultimately secure his place as dictator?
1928, the King lost the right to select the Prime Minister
–> a list of candidates to be drawn up by the Grand Council of Fascism for the King to select from
Order of events that made Mussolini a dictator?
(15)
- Nov 1922, granted emergency powers
- Dec 1922, created Grand Council of Fascism
- Jan 1923, created MVSN + Cheka
- early 1923, appeases industrialists + RCC
- Feb 1923, merge with ANI
- Jul 1923, Acerbo Election Law passed
- Apr 1924, won new elections
- Jun 1924, murder of Matteotti
- Jul 1924, press censorship law passes
- Aug 1924, banned political meetings by opposition
- Dec 1924, given ultimatum by leading fascists
- Jan 1925, took responsibility for all fascist violence in front of government + set up committee to reform constitution
- Dec 1925, passed Leggi Fascidtissme
- Jan 1926, granted right to issue decrees himself
- 1928, King lost right to elect the PM
