Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

History A Level - Italy > Domestic Policy > Flashcards

Domestic Policy Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® U.S. History flashcards European History 101 flashcards AP® European History flashcards AP® World History flashcards World History 102 flashcards U.S. History 102 flashcards World History 101 flashcards U.S. History 101 flashcards
1
Q

What were Mussolini’s aims in regards to his domestic policy?

A
  • Control the population
  • Create a loyal nation of fascists
  • To be popular
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Name 7 ways Mussolini aimed to fulfil the aims of his domestic policy

A
  • Indoctrination of education and the youth
  • Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro (OND)
  • Press control and censorship
  • Propaganda
  • Creating the cult of il Duce
  • Creating a fascist culture
  • Making a terror state
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How did Mussolini indoctrinate the boys of Italy?

A
  • April 1926 the Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) was created for the ‘physical and moral benefit’ of boys aged 8-18 based mainly around physical fitness
  • Membership compulsory 6-11, but in 1939 it was made compulsory for all ages
  • Prior to 1939 membership provided access to jobs, scholarships, not being a part made it hard to enrol in further education and barred from future civil service employment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How did Mussolini indoctrinate the girls of Italy?

A

• Figlie della Lapa (6-8), Piccole Italiane (8-13) and Giovane Italiane (14-17) were the girls equivalent of the ONB, focused around physical fitness too

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

In what other ways were youth indoctrinated in fascist Italy?

A
  • 1929 Ministry of National Education created and all youth organisations placed under its control (only Catholic Action allowed to remain)
  • All teacher had to be part of the PNF by 1933
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What was the point of indoctrinating children in fascist Italy?

A
  • Wanted to make Italy a great nation - turn boys into fascist soldiers and girls into good fascist wives
  • Centralising the education system and extracurricular activities made this easier
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Evidence of the success of Mussolini’s youth policy

A
  • 1937 prior to compulsory membership youth organisations had 7 million members
  • Northern children seen to enjoy activities more
  • Boys tended to enjoy participation in activities
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Evidence of the failure of Mussolini’s youth policy

A
  • Motivation to participate not necessarily out of loyalty to the PNF - preferable to learning in class, social occassions, easier to get future employment
  • Girls disliked groups due to being too focused on being mothers, 1937 survey said they were more interested in the boys’ activities
  • In the south, as children left school earlier to become agriculture workers, it was harder to indoctrinate
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What was the OND?

A
  • The National Afterwork Organisation
  • Set up 1925 after the closure of socialist organisations
  • Provided recreation and welfare
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What benefits did the OND provide?

A
  • Bars, billiard halls, cycling groups, libraries and radios, discounts on rail tickets
  • Each section had a clubhouse where activties were provided. Plays, films and concerts provided
  • Acted as a welfare organisation at times relief was needed
  • Subsidised holidays and excursions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What was odd about the OND?

A

• It was politically neutral

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What evidence is there of the OND being a successful piece of domestic policy?

A
  • 4 million members
  • Argument from Mussolini that through creating l better lives for workers that people were more likely to tolerate/accept fascism and not challenge it
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What evidence is there of the OND being an unsuccessful piece of domestic policy?

A

• Political neutrality means that members could just join for benefits and not necessarily creating a loyal nation of fascists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How was the press censored in fascist Italy?

A
  • 1926 saw laws restricting freedom of press sanctioned
  • Government able confiscate whole editions of newspapers, journals or magazines that was deemed unfavourable
  • Could shut down press organisations completely - Avanti! and L’Unita (left-wing press) an example of this
  • Journalists had to be part of a fascist union which controlled access to jobs and promotions
  • Stories remained government approved as well as subsidises given to newspapers that printed positive stories about Mussolini
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What did Mussolini still allow in terms of censorship?

A
  • Did not focus on banning news but more censorship

* Only 10% of newspaper sales was Fascist newspapers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How effective was censorship in Italy?

A

Very
• Made it hard to challenge fascist control
• Helped to conceal problems from public consciousness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How was propaganda contribute to Mussolini’s domestic policy aims?

A
  • Emphasises what united Italians
  • The cult of Ancient Rome was emphasised - 1 million visited exhibition of Roman history that emphasised its greatness & tied it with modern Italy
  • Mussolini linked to be the heir of Augustus who rebuilt Italy to a great power after war and chaos
  • World cup victories in 1934 and 1938 used as propaganda tools
  • Spread via newspaper, radio, cinema and posters
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Was the propaganda effective in Italy?

A

It was hard for people to hold opposing views due to censorship but
• Ministry of propaganda not set up till Ministry of Press in 1935, became Ministry of popular culture in 1937. It wasn’t very sophsitocated failured to utilse modern mediums
• Lack of mass media in the south anyway
• Questionable of how transformative it was for attiudes in Italy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How was the cult of il Duce created?

A
  • Through posters, cinema, newsreels, radio broadcasts that sought to portray Mussolini as a leader of immense power and ability
  • Slogan ‘Mussolini is always right’
  • 30 million pictures circulated of Mussolini in 2500 poses
  • Described as a superb swimmer and aviator
  • Frequently photographed shirtless
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What was the purpose of the cult of il Duce?

A
  • Establishment of personal dictatorship
  • Show he was the head figure of the PNF
  • Convery him of being of traditional family values
  • Link him with Ceaser and Augustus and leading the nation to greatness
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How far did the cult of il Duce work?

A

Very successful for Mussolini’s personal image and sustained to control Italian people to admire him but
• Didn’t create loyalty to PNF
• Harder to sustained as Mussolini kept power and failed to achieve aims as well as-as he aged

22
Q

How was there a creation of fascist culture?

A

Policy introduced for artists and intellectuals that all art should serve goals of the fascist state and its mythology/images

23
Q

What examples of Italian fascist culture is there?

A
  • 1926 - National Institute of Fascist Culture created (artists/intellectuals organised into groups) - organised cultural events and free concerts to encourage mass participation
  • PNF funded Italian film industry, creating a state of the art production in the late 1930s, films made to glorify Fascism’s achievement eg Vecchia Guardia, Pilot and The Seige of Alcazar
  • 1932 - Celebration of 10-year od fascist rule, had 4 million visitors
  • Theatre - creation of 3 plays providing stories of 3 great patriotic leaders to encourage a link between Mussolini, Napoleon and Cesar, Mussolini proposed the original idea
24
Q

How successful was the influence of the fascist culture for fascist domestic policy?

A

• It was produced efficiently and were good at controlling what was produced
However
• It was never focused upon a coherent message

25
Q

What tactics did Mussolini used to generate a terror state in Italy?

A
  • November 1926: All other political parties were banned
  • Death penalty introduced for those who threatened state security or tried to kill the king or Mussolini
  • The creation of Confino under Special Tribunals - financially devastating, destroyed reputation, hard to get job afterwards. 12,000 sent between 1926-40
  • Late 1926: Political police division formed under Arturo Bocchini - used spy network to infiltrate/break up anti fascist groups
  • 1927: OVRA set up by Bocchini - 5,000 informers, infiltrated universities, businesses and fascist groups. Mail examined and phi one calls listened too
  • Around 5000 put in prison/concentration camps on islands like Lipari
26
Q

What evidence is there that the terror state was successful?

A
  • 13,547 trials by special tribunal
  • Created incentives to not spread anti PNF/anti-Mussolini
  • No need for mass persecution demonstrates good control
  • Main worries were the Slovenians not anti fascists
  • The fascist were able to extend control into France for political assassinations of exiled political leaders
27
Q

Give evidence of the failure of the Italian terror state

A
  • Confino wasn’t permanent with people able to simply return form the south
  • Argument that there was not need for a terror state due to the fact that the regime was mainly popular amongst the people
28
Q

What 6 groups within Italy did Mussolini have to work alongside?

A
  • The King
  • Central government
  • Local government
  • Conservative elites
  • The PNF
  • The church
29
Q

How did Mussolini deal with the political balancing act that was his relationship with King Emmanuel III?

A
  • King remained head of state with sole power to remove power
  • Mussolini reduced some of the king’s powers - Dec 1928 The Fascist Ground Council given right to nominate/advise king on the next PM and March 1938 King and Mussolini shared the highest rank in military, 1940 Mussolini took charge of military
30
Q

How did the King react to Mussolini’s actions?

A

Made little effort to prevent erosion of powers and happy to be subservient as long as he retained title

31
Q

How did Mussolini’s relationship with the king help?

A

It encouraged the armed forces and state administration who were loyal to the king to accept a fascist dictatorship

32
Q

How did Mussolini limit the powers of central government?

A
  • He was now only accountable to the king
  • Parliament couldn’t propose legislation only Mussolini, no formal votes just shouts of agreement
  • Electorate reduced to exclude most of the working class
  • No cabinet style government
  • Free elections stopped
  • January 1939 Parliament abolished itself, but senate remained with 148 non PNF senators
  • Fascist Grand Council was formalised in the constitution as the most important legal body in the state - but didn’t have real power, wasn’t consulted on major policy
33
Q

Why did Mussolinl work with the conservative elites in Italy?

A

He was willing to work with them (the army an civil service) so successfully cement power by gaining the support of already powerful institutions BUT completely overturned the judicial system

34
Q

What was Mussolini’s relationship with the army like?

A
  • It was allowed to run independently but they did give their loyalty to him
  • He was minster of war, but secretaries (usually generals/admirals) ran armed forces
  • Promoted lots of senior generals to status of field marshal
  • Pro fascist attitudes in the army resulted in better career advancement
35
Q

How did Mussolini prevent the civil service from rebelling against him?

A
  • Most kept their jobs on Mussolini’s appointment eg Ministry of Corporations all senior civil servants had been there since 1916
  • Membership of the PNF did correlated to likelihood of promotion, membership increasing from 15% in 1927 after this realisation
  • Mussolini made it clear that any resistance to his policy would be crushed
36
Q

What happened to the Italian judiciary system under Mussolini?

A
  • Conducted a purge of undesirable elements - judges who did not support fascism or too independent from the government
  • Impartiality of the court was lost
  • Imprisonment without trial became common with Mussolini occasionally getting involved in verdicts/sentences of those that did go to trial
37
Q

What happened to local government under Mussolini’s governance?

A
  • Placed in the hands of the conservative elites and career civil servants (appointed by Mussolini)
  • Local self governing bodies abolished,mayors and town councils replaced by officials from Romes
  • The traditional ‘prefect’ role within each province remained, appointed by Mussolini - involved organising police, suppressing anti-fascist movements and censoring local press
  • Local council run by podesta who were appointed by the prefects
38
Q

Why did Mussolini’s actions surrounding local government help to secure him greater power?

A
  • Removed democracy

* Prefects and podesta owed positions to Mussolini and thus allowed him to expand his power/influence throughout Italy

39
Q

Why did Mussolini want to reduce the power of the PNF?

A

So his personal dictatorship was secure and not at threat from those within his party who did not see him as extreme enough

40
Q

How did Mussolini reduced the power of the PNF?

A
  • The 1925 purges under Roberto Farinacci, who was then replaced by Augusto Turati)
  • Held final party conference in 1925, shouting down dissenting voices and reducing the event from 3 days to a few hours
  • By 1929, 50-60,000 members of the PNF had been removed and another 110,000 left voluntarily
  • Another party purge saw 120,000 removed in the 1930s
  • Those who replaced the purged members were replaced by 800,000 new members with no ambition but just wanted membership for benefits
41
Q

Why was the PNF not cohesive in its opposition to Mussolini?

A

Factions within the group wall wanted different things
• Squads wanted continuance of violence
• Ex-socialists wanted industry reorganisation
• Nationalists desired changed to post war peace settlement
• Conservatives helped for restoration of law and order
All groups wanted Mussolini’s support

42
Q

How did Mussolini prevent a leadership challenge?

A
  • By promotion second rate officials and removing threat of careerist fascists
  • Italo Balbo sent to occupy a post in Lybia
  • Dino Grandi sent to be Italiam ambassador to Britain - prestigious but practically powerless
43
Q

Describe the few powers that the PNF did have?

A
  • Able to transform Italians in obedient, disciplined fascists and there was a rivalry between the party and central government
  • 1927 - Transferred the OND from government control to the to the Party BUT 1929 saw ONB given to the Ministry of Education
44
Q

Why did Mussolini want to work with the church?

A
  • Catholicism was the main religion in Italy

* Both Mussolini and new Pope Pius XI were concerned with the threat of communism

45
Q

Name the agreement signed between the church and Mussolini on 11th February 1929?

A

The Lateran Pacts

46
Q

What did the church gain from the Lateran Pacts

A
  • The state recognised the Pope’s control of the Vatican city and that it was independent from the rest of Rome
  • Financial compensation of £30 million
  • The state would pay off clerical salaries
  • No divorce without the consent of the church
  • Religious education of a catholic nature was compulsory in state schools
47
Q

What did the state gain from the Lateran Pacts?

A
  • Pope recognised the Italian state, its possession of Rome and of old papal states
  • The Clergy could not belong to any political party
48
Q

What did Mussolini gain from the Lateran Pacts?

A

He appeared to have resolved a conflict that had existed since 1871

49
Q

How did the church and Mussolini continue to antagonise each other after 1929?

A
  • Catholic Action - the independent youth organisation was allowed to remain, had grown from 250,000 to 388,000 members by 1939
  • Radio Vatican broadcasting alternate news and information to that of state controlled media
  • ‘Non Abbiamo Bisogno’ - condemned fascism for stealing children from Christ and having them worship the state
  • The mass genocide carried out in Abyssinia went against the teaching of the words of the bible
  • Pope was openly critical of the Anti Semitic decrees passed by Mussolini
50
Q

How did good relations continue between the church and Mussolini after 1929?

A
  • Abyssinian invasino was initially supported by the church (due to prospects of expanding religion and monetary opportunities)
  • February 1932: Mussolini and the pop confirmed mutual views of societal and gender values and foreign policy towards the Soviet Union and communism

History A Level - Italy (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions