Development of Mussolini's Dictatorship Flashcards
1
Q
How did parliament assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1922-24?
A
- Cabinet initially included representatives of every party except PSI and PCI
- By mid 1923 most left
- 1922 7% MPs Fascists, 1924 66%
2
Q
How did parliament assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1925-27?
A
- Mussolini given great powers (could legislate by decree)
- Responsible to King, not Parliament
- Lost power to initiate laws
- 1925 all Fascist cabinet
3
Q
How did local government assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1922-24?
A
- Immediate purge of opponents in civil service
- Local socialist councils replaced
- Mussolini proclaimed prefect supreme over local party
4
Q
How did local government assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1925-27?
A
- Judges, civil servants, teachers purged
- Elected municipal councils eliminated
- 7,000 government-appointed podestas replaced elected mayors
- Powers of prefects extended
5
Q
How did repression assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1922-24?
A
- Existing court system used
- Hostile press, politicians intimidated
6
Q
How did repression assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1925-27?
A
- Judiciary lost independence
- Special Tribunal for political crimes
- Law for Defence of State
- Administrative powers widely used (a government official could order an arrest without justification)
- OVRA created
- Free press ended
7
Q
How did trade unions assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1922-24?
A
- Tolerated but intimidated - Number of strikes fell
8
Q
How did trade unions assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1925-27?
A
- 1926 Law on Corporations
- Fascist unions recognised as sole representatives of workers
- Strikes, lockouts illegal
9
Q
How did the Fascists assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1922-24?
A
- Fascist militia, MVSN, set up from squads. Paid by state; took loyalty oath to Mussolini
- Fascist Grand Council set up as rival to Cabinet
- Fascists merged with Nationalists
10
Q
How did the Fascists assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1925-27?
A
- Mussolini centralised the Party
11
Q
How did other parties assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1922-24?
A
- Mussolini exploited tension between PPI and Pope, to weaken them; 1923 they left the government
- PSI, PCI were tolerated, but activities liable to disruption
12
Q
How did other parties assist Mussolini’s dictatorship 1925-27?
A
- All non- Fascist parties suppressed
