Giolitti Flashcards
What was Giolitti known for?
- Master of transformismo –> kept files on weaknesses of every deputy in parliament
- Prime minister for 4th/5th time in 1911
- Programme focused on gaining support of Catholic Church, socialists + nationalists
What was founded in 1901 and how many members did it have?
- Federation of Agricultural Workers
- 240,000 peasants
How many Catholic workers’ unions were there by 1910 w/ how many members?
374 w/ 104,600 members
How did Giolitti adopt trasformismo through the socialists?
He introduced social reforms such as:
- compulsory accident insurance in industrial work + non-compulsory NI fund for health and old age (1898)
- children under 12 cannot be employed (1901)
- working day for women limited to 11hrs (1902)
- non-intervention in labour disputes + new arbitration courts (1906)
- introduction of maternity fund (1910)
- state-subsidised sickness + old age fund for merchant navy (1913)
He also offered a key socialist leader, Leonida Bissolati, a place in his cabinet but she refused
Despite Giolitti’s reforms to appease the workers, why were both wealthy Italians and workers unsatisfied?
- Wealthy Italians thought the limited policies against using force could no longer protect their interests
- Giolitti prioritised economic production over workers’ interests, so they were unsatisfied
Specifically why could Giolitti not win over all the socialists?
- All socialists were outraged by violence used by police against striking workers
- Even if Socialist political leaders were willing to compromise, the wider socialist movement were not
- Splits in the party eg. maximalists were not willing as they belived it would undermine the party and were not real reforms (only done to prevent riots), reformists were willing to enforce change
Who was the greatest threat to Giolitti’s programme and why?
- Nationalists
- Most opposed to conciliation
- Giolitti did not do enough to alleviate their fears
Why had nationalism become a highly influential political movement between 1911 and 1914?
- Ideological movement rather than organised political party
- Change needed after humiliating defeat in Battle of Adwa
- Change was needed after failure to achieve Risorgimento
- Shame that many Italians had to migrate for a better life
- The country’s weakness as a world power
What did nationalists argue for?
- Ban on public-sector strikes
- Stronger police powers
- Protection for Italian industry from foreign competition
- Stronger army + More defence-spending
- Gain Trentino and Trieste from Austria
- Colonial expansion
How was Giolitti prepared to placate the nationalists in 1911?
- Expanding Italy’s colonial empire
What had Giolitti done in 1904 when he was PM that had maintained a steady relationship so far between Catholic Church and him?
- Allowed a bill for divorce to quietly disappear from parliament
- Promoted Catholic interest in areas like education
- Believed church and state were ‘two parallel lines that should never meet’
What did the Pope do in 1909 to prevent the rise of socialism?
- Encouraged Italians to vote in around 150 constituencies where socialists had a considerable chance of winning
- 17 Catholic deputies elected
How was the cooperation between Giolitti and the Catholic Church in 1911?
- Catholics were part of governing coalitions in Turin, Bologna, Florence + Venice
- Giolitti welcomed any support provided however he did not solve the Roman Question and always prioritised the socialists over the Catholics Church to encourage workers to support the liberal state
When was the franchise extension increased, why and who was now able to vote?
- 1912
- Previously literate men over 21 could vote. Now, all men who had completed military service + all men over 30 regardless of literacy could vote
- They had fought in the war
What was the issue with the franchise extension?
- 1913 –> Around 70% of Italian voters were potentially illiterate
