Development of Fascism (1919-1921) Flashcards
Who were the Fascists of the First Hour?
About a hundred men and some women, who assembled in Piazza San Sepolcro 1919
How many members did Fascism have in 1919?
Little over a thousand
How many votes did Fascism receive in 1919 elections?
5,000 votes, compared to 168,000 for the PSI
Who were the earlier supporters of Fascism?
- Young, lower-middle class university students
- Civil service members
- Bourgeois families
- Ex-soldiers
- Farmers
- Industrialists
When did Fascism develop a main base in the countryside?
1920
How did Fascism gain so much support in the countryside?
- Feared socialism would take away the land they had gained
- Resented Socialist Land Leagues
What were the Fascists promising for suffrage and how did this change?
1919 = universal male and female suffrage
1921 = no commitment on political structure
What conditions were promised for labour and how did this change?
1919 = 8 hour working day and minimum wage
1921 = 8 hour day with exceptions for agri. and industrial requirements
How did the Fascists promise to express workers’ opinions?
1919 = National Councils of Labour
1921 = Corporations to express national solidarity
What did Fascism promise in terms of education and how did this change?
1919 = common education for all
1921 = schools to train governing elite and provide future soldiers with physical and moral training
How much freedom did Fascism promise and how did this change?
1919 = liberty of opinion and conscience
1921 = citizens’ freedom limited in the interests of the nation
What did Fascism promise in terms of military service and how did this change?
1919 = abolition of obligatory military service
1921 = obligatory military service
What did fascism promise in terms of taxes and how did this change?
1919 = heavy and progressive tax on capital, confiscation of unproductive income
1921 = taxes proportional to income, not confiscatory
What did fascism promise in terms of industry and how did this change?
1919 = nationalisation of all arms and munitions factories, confiscation of 85% of war profits
1921 = nationalised firms privatised, encouraged national wealth through initiative, government spending cuts
What did fascism promise in terms of religion and how did this change?
1919 = confiscation of all property belonging to religious organisation
1921 = no reference to Church property
What did fascism promise in terms of foreign policy and how did this change?
1919 = peaceful competition among civilised nations
1921 = unification for Italy with major role in Mediterranean
