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
