Creation of fascist dictatorship between 1922-26 Flashcards
In nov 1922 how many fascists deputies were in parliament and how many socialists?
35 fascists compared to 123 socialists
Who did mussolini appoint as minister of finance and why?
De’Stefani
Helped gain the support of the conservative industrialists who were reassured that the appointment if mussolini would not result in major economic changes
When did mussolini announce that a compromise had been reached between PNF and ANI?
28th October 1922
When was the ANI completely absorbed into the fascists and why was this important?
- feb 1923
- it was important as the ani was a powerful rival and now the png was the only party representing Italian nationalism
Who did mussolini appoint as the minister of work and welfare and what did this achieve?
- Cavazzoni - ppi member
- cavazzoni encouraged the party to collaborate with mussolini
When did the PPI leader Luigi sturzo resign and why?
- July 1923
- Felt the party was too absorbed by the fascists
What encourage the Vatican to support the pnf?
- mussolini’s pro-catholic policies
When was mussolini’s maiden speech?
16 nov 1922
What did the speech consist of?
- mussolini said he required a year of emergency power in order to carry out any reforms that Italy required
- warned parliament that he had 300,000 young men ready to take violent action
How many votes did the year of emergency powers receive and what did this mean?
305 votes for vs 116 against
- it meant that mussolini could not be removed by parliament and had full power to govern and raise taxes without seeking parliamentary approval
When was the grand fascist council created and what was its role?
- dec 1922
- discuss key policy and had the same position as the cabinet
why was introducing the fascist grand council important?
- helped mussolini overcome his weak position in the cabinet and under the liberal gov institutions by bypassing them
- mussolini had the sole ability to appoint its members so had centralised power of the party
When was the MVSN created and why was it important?
- Jan 1923
- absorbed the squadristi and formalised their role as the paramilitary force whose job it was to support the police and army in defending the fascist rev
Why did mussolini want to bring an end to the fascist violence?
- he felt it was detrimental to continue
- fascism was now in power and chance for socialist revolution had disappeared continuing the violence would be seen in a negative way
Why did the king, army and liberal elites support the formation of the MVSN?
- Beloved it was better if the blackshirts were under the power of the government and not the leadership of the ras
How many members did the party now have?
783,000
What was the acerbo law?
- proposed 2/3 of the parliamentary seats would go to the party who won more than 25% of the votes
Why was the acerbo law put in place?
The method of proportional representation did not allow a party to receive a majority
Who opposed the acerbo law and who supported it?
- opposed: PCI and PSI
- supported: liberal elites like giolitti, the king and Vatican
In which cities were demonstrations held to put to apply pressure for the acerbo law?
Tuscany and umbria
When were the general elections held?
6 April 1924
What was the pnf electoral victory helped by?
- orlando and salandra included themselves on the gov electoral list alongside the fascists
- pci, psi and ppi and liberals were not able to lead a united front against mussolini
What was the electoral turnout for the pnf and how many seats did they win?
64%
35–>275
Who was Matteotti and what did his speech consist of?
- pci leader
- asserted that the fascists only won the elections due to the consequence of obscene violence and were determined to establish a dictatorship no matter what the result of the elections
- said he had amassed file of party corruption that he would make public
When was Matteotti kidnapped and his body found?
- 10th June
- 16th august
Who car was matteotti dragged into and who was arrested on the 12th June in relation to the murder?
- rocci - mussolini’s press secretary
- dumini - head of fascist terror
What was the aventine seccession and when was it formed?
- around 100 antifascist deputies left the parliament and formed the aventine secession
- 13th June
Describe the three sides of which mussolini received pressure after the murder of Matteotti?
- old, established elite who were concerned with backing a pm associated with murder
- psi, pci and other antifascist deputies were calling for the dismissal of mussolini and overthrow the fascist gov
- pressure from ras who saw the murder as the first step towards a fascist dictatorship
What did the creation of the aventine secession prove?
- proved that he had the backing of the pope, the king, the army and business and political elites
Describe the weakness of the aventine secession?
- had ideological differences between its members who spanned a vast range from liberalism to communism
- proved no threat as they couldn’t agree on what to do
Who did mussolini had the position of interior and justice ministers to ?
- federzoni –> reassured the old elite
- rocco
In nov 1922 what did mussolini order the pnf to do?
- cease all forms of violence and remove any members who were undisciplined and not willing to follow his directives
On 31 dec 1924 what did mussolini have to face by the squads?
- delegation of squad leaders who demanded he act to defend the fascist revolution to they remove him as leader of the pnf
- two days after salandra declared his opposition to mussolini
When did mussolini establish his dictatorship?
3rd jan 1925
When did mussolini create the new cabinet and who did it consist of?
12th jan 1925
no liberals
What role did appoint farinacci and when?
–> what did farinacci do ?
- pnf secretary
- feb 1925
- purge the party of those radical wh did not accept Mussolini’s political direction
- farinacci increased the members from 600,000 to 938,000
In oct 1925 what did the fascist grand council force the ras to do?
- disband any squads still in existence and enlist in the militia
–> independence of the ras and squadristi was finished
How did mussolini gain the support of the military for the dictatorship?
- increased the pay of the general and officer
- appointed badoglio as the chief of general staff compared to a radical that the army would fear
When was the palazzo vidoni pact announced and what was it?
- 2 oct 1925
- established the official fascist unions as the only representatives of Italy’s workers taking power away from the socialist and catholic unions
When was Tito zindoni arrested and why?
What did it result in?
4th august 1925
plotting to assassinate Mussolini
his party psu getting banned
What did the new press law say?
that all journalism would be supervised and approved by the pnf
When did the title of pm change and what did it change to?
dec 1925
head of gov and Duce of fascism
When was mussolini granted the ability to rule by decree?
jan 1926
another way mussolini assured his power removed
removed the vote of no confidence
Why were all political parties banned ?
31 oct 1926: assassination attempt on mussolini
What was the special tribunal for the defence of the state?
prosecution of antifascists who ultimately have no right to appeal
How many antifascists left Italy?
10,000 –> fled into exile and their Italian citizenship was withdrawn
Which position replaced mayors?
podesta who were appointed by local prefects who were appointed by mussolini
Who had the most powerful position in the Italian regions
prefects not ras
When was the pnf secretary replaced and by who?
- march 1926
- turati
What did turati when he became pnf secretary say?
- in any conflict between the rad and the prefects the prefects take precedence
- mussolini was the dictator of both the party and Italy
