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History A Level - Italy > Consolidation of Power > Flashcards

Consolidation of Power Flashcards

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1
Q

Why did Mussolini decide to call a general election in 1924?

A

To provide the PNF with a parliamentary mandate

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2
Q

What was the problem with the calling of an election?

A

The system of proportional representation made it hard to secure a majority

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3
Q

Why did Mussolini pass the Acerbo Law?

A

To make it easier to secure a parliamentary majority for himself

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4
Q

What did the Acerbo Law state?

A

That 2/3 of parliamentary seats would go to the party that wom more than 25% of the vote

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5
Q

What happened with the Acerbo Law?

A
  • PCI and PSI opposed it
  • Liberal elites (incl. Giolitti), king and vatican supported it
  • Fascist demonstrations threatening took place in Tuscany and Umbria if the bill didn’t pass, Mussolini wore a black shirt to parliament the next day
  • Law was passed and an election called for the 6th if April
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6
Q

Describe the events of the 1924 election

A
  • Tainted by violence and intimidation - Blackshirts destroyed hundred of opposition buildings and clubs, murdered PSI candidate Antoni Piccinini
  • Several prominant liberals (Orlando and Salandra incl.) ran on the fascist’s ‘National List’
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7
Q

What was the result of the 1924 election?

A
  • Turn out 64%
  • Mussolini gained 66.3% of the vote, Acerbo law was redundant
  • fascists went from 35 deputies to 275
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8
Q

What were the other reason (beside fascist violence) did Mussolini win the 1924 election?

A
  • Weakness of the opposition, unable to unite against the fascists
  • electoral support of prominent liberals
  • Belief that Mussolini could provide strong leadership Italy needed
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9
Q

When did Giacomo Matteotti give his speech to parliament?

What was is about?

A
  • 30 May 1924
  • PCI (communist) leader spoke out about corruption and violence during election, claimed fascist only won due to violence
  • Also claimed to have a large file of fascist party corruption that he was about to make public
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10
Q

What happened to Matteotti after he gave his speech?

A
  • 10 June 1924: kidnapped as he walked towards parliament

* 16th August 1924: found in a shallow grave outside Rome. Stabbed with a carpenter’s file

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11
Q

How was Mussolini tied with Matteotti’s murder?

A

People witnessed the kidnapping
• Number plate of car he was dragged to belonged to Mussolini’s press secretary, Cesare Rossi
• Leader of the kidnapping was Amerigo Dumini who was head of the Italian terror squad/secret police/cheka (arrested 12th June)

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12
Q

From where did Mussolini face pressure after Matteotti’s murder?

A
  • Established elites - concerned about PM being associated with murder
  • PSI, PCI and antifacsit parties - called for his dismissal/fascists to be overthrown
  • The ras - saw it to be the start of a violent fascist revolution, with Mussolini stalling
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13
Q

What happened on the 13th June 1924?

A

100 antifascists left parliament to establish their own on the Aventine Hill outside Rome

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14
Q

What were the consequences of the creation of the Aventine Secession?

A
  • Deputites couldnt agree on what to do, did not threaten Mussolini at all
  • Dstroyed hope of parliament winning a vote to dismiss Mussolini
  • Gave king excuse to do nothing
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15
Q

Why did the King, The Pope, the army and business/political elites continue to support Mussolini?

A

Believed him/PNF were the best option with a strong right wing anti-communist government

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16
Q

How did Mussolini sustain confidence in his government until December 1924?

A
  • Appointed positions of interior and justice minster Luigi Ferderzinu and Alfredo Rocco
  • November 1924 - satisfied army demands. PNF to cease all forms of violence, removal of members who ignored this order, officers of the MVSN (army) had to swear an oath of loyalty to King and Mussolini
17
Q

What happened in December 1924?

A
  • 29th - Salandra declared opposition to Mussolini, threatening to leave PNF/Liberal coalition
  • 31st - Squad leaders demanded Mussolini defend a fascist revolution or they would remove him as the leader of the PNF
18
Q

What happened on the 3rd of January 1925?

A

• Mussolini announced to parliament he was establishing a personal fascist dictatorship (took responsibilty for violence but blamed opposition for break down in democracy)

19
Q

What did Mussolini do throughout 1925 to establish a more secure dictatorship?

A
  • 12th Jan - Formed a new cabinet without most of the liberals
  • February - Farinicci appointed PNF deputy to purge part radicals. Party membership went up from 600,000 to 938,000 diluting the power of the ras and squadristi
  • October - The Palazzo Viodini Pact established leaving only fascist unions in place to represent workers. Fascist Grand Council forced the ras to disband their squads
  • December - role of PM became Head of Government and the Duce of Fascism and parliament no longer able to remove the PM through a vote
20
Q

How did the arrest of Tito Zaniboni (PSU deputy) help Mussolini establish a more secure dictatorship?

A
  • August 1925 - allegedly plotting to assassinate Mussolini
  • PSU immediately banned, introduced new press law with all journalism now state approved and passed a law giving the government power to sack any employee whose actions/words went against PNF
21
Q

Name the actions taken by Mussolini in 1926 to further enforce his rule?

A
  • January - granted ability to rule by decree
  • October - another assassination attempt. All political parties except PNF banned, Aventine deputies permanently excluded from parliament, Antonio Gramsci arrested. Special Tribunal for the Defence of the State set up to prosecute anti-fascist
22
Q

What did most opposition leaders do after 1926?

A

Estimated 10,000 fled to exile in France and elsewhere with their citizenship withdrawn and property confiscated

23
Q

How did Mussolini finally gain control over all of Italy?

A
  • The elected government abolishes, with mayors replaced by podesta who were appointed by local fascist prefects
  • Prefects (directly accountable to Mussolini) held most powerful regional position not the ras
  • PNF secretary said that any dispute between the ras and prefects that the prefects would come first
24
Q

What had happened by the end of 1926

A

Mussolini had established a personal dictatorship where neither his party or parliament could pose a threat to him

History A Level - Italy (8 decks)

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