Electoral reform and the Creation of the Fascist dictatorship 1924-28 Flashcards
What was the Acerbo Law?
July 1923 - law passed by the Chamber of Deputies. Stated that the party who wins the most votes (minimum 25%) will be rewarded with 2/3 of the seats.
What were the 1924 election results?
Fascists - 4.5 million votes - 66% of vote - 374 Deputies. 81.5% of the south voted for fascism
Socialists and Communists - 2.5 million votes.
Two major industrial cities, Milan and Turin failed to produce Fascist majorities
Why was the 1924 election controversial?
There were reports of voter intimidation and violence (ballot-rigging) from the MSVN, particularly directed at left-wing parties
Why was Matteotti targeted by the Fascists?
He produced evidence detailing Fascist violence and terror during the election campaign
What happened to Matteotti?
10th June 1924 - Matteotti was abducted by fascist thugs and murdered in broad daylight
What were the consequences of the murder of Matteotti?
1924 Aventine secession. Opposition Deputies (mainly Socialists and Communists) walked out of parliament and set up their own breakaway parliament
How did Mussolini survive the murder of Matteotti?
Spun the Aventine secession and told the people that the deputies had ‘walked out on them.’ Effective use of propaganda, increased support
The King didn’t want to remove Mussolini from power because he feared the ‘revolutionary’ left
Giolitti and Salandra still publicly supported Mussolini
How did Mussolini consolidate his power in July and August of 1924?
July - press censorship and full control of radio broadcasting
August - banned opposition political parties meeting
What happened in December 1924?
Fascists ordered Mussolini to end the Matteotti affair or they would withdraw their support
What happened in January 1925?
Mussolini gave a speech and assumed responsibility for all fascist actions up to that point
How did Mussolini consolidate his power within the party in 1925?
He dismissed Farinacci as party secretary in order to block his radical ambitions. Mussolini appointed Turati as new secretary, who transformed the party into a tool for Mussolini’s personal ambitions.
Grand Council ordered the squads to disband, which pushed more people to join the MSVN - increase Mussolini’s control
What happened in 1925 that suggests Mussolini’s control wasn’t 100% secure?
Fascist squads killed 8 Liberals in front of tourists and Mussolini had to intervene.
HOWEVER, the fight against radical squads was won by 1926
What legislation did Mussolini introduce in January 1925 and what was its purpose?
Leggi Fascistissime - banned opposition political parties and free trade unions
What Fascist law was passed in December 1925?
Mussolini was now Head of Government, which meant he was only answerable to the King (not parliament.)
What laws surrounding the media were passed in 1925?
After Mussolini’s speech in January, ‘unflattering’ papers were regularly seized.
Leading Liberal journals were brought under government control
December - Press Law - only registered journalists could write for the papers, and the fascists ran the registers
Only party papers (e.g. Avanti!) offered alternative viewpoints and they were rigorusly censored and only available in big cities
