Giolitti

Question 1

He took new approach called giolittionism: he felt that

Answer 1

The liberals had been too geared to the needs of the wealthy, and had not met the needs of the poor

Government needed to work for the benefit of the poor, working with other groups including moderate socialists

His intention was to take the sting out of working class discontent and prevent revolution

Question 2

Social and economic reforms

Answer 2

Worker’s rights improved to include a day off every week and outlawing the employment of children under the age of 12

Unemployment had been reduced and wages improved

Adult illiteracy rates reduced-from 42.3% in the North in 1871 to 11% in 1911 and from 88% in the South in 1871 to 65.3 in 1911.

Cut taxes on basic foods

income per head was 1900 lire in 1895 and 2500 lire in 1915

Anti-malaria drugs made available for free.

Death rates fell from 26.1% in northern Italy in 1881-5 to 16% in 1921-5.

By 1911, Catholics were part of the governing coalitions in big cities such as Florence and Venice

Government expenditure increased by 50% on public schemes e.g. improving roads, water supplies in the south

National income increased from 61 billion lire in 1895 to 92 billion lire in 1915

Question 3

Labour disputes

Answer 3

Giolitti adopted a policy of “neutrality.”

Instead of using police/army to suppress the workers, the government stayed neutral and encouraged “arbitration”- try to negotiate

Question 4

Government

Answer 4

Moderate socialists and Catholics brought into a coalition government

Tried to improve relations with the Catholics by saying that he was willing to drop a proposed law permitting divorce

Catholics to cast their votes towards the Liberals willing to stand for Catholic interests such as private church schools

In 1912 the Electoral Law saw the franchise extended from 3 million to 8.5 million males so that males who were over 21 and literate and males over 30 and illiterate could vote. This mainly benefited the socialists (PSI) and the catholic party (PPI)

Question 5

Arguments for failure of his policies

Answer 5

But the dangers from the far left and right had not disappeared.

north/south divide was still wide

Italy still lagged behind other European countries like Britain and France in many areas.

By 1914 trasformismo had failed. Giolitti lost support of the:
Socialists - unhappy about the invasion of Libya (1911) as they didn’t want wars against countries. Instead they wanted a workers’ state.

Radicals - split from the liberal party because they’re unhappy over the presence of Catholics