Giolitti Reforms Flashcards
Give Giolitti’s political successes (8)
- Giolitti used the corruption in voting through the art of Transformismo to his advantage to bring many different groups into the centre ground of Italian politics
- Giolitti successfully brought moderate socialists into his coalition, adopting many of their positions to overcome divisions of political thought
- Successfully managed to win the support of the Catholic Church by making a secret deal with the Catholic Church
- managed to appease church opposition by allowing religious instruction in schools and developing a law supporting divorce
- socialists and Catholics agreed that Giolitti had managed to make Italy’s Liberal Institutions more acceptable
- the Electoral Law of 1912 extended the franchise to 8.5 million, with the vote now being available to all men over the age of 30, literate or not
- Giolitti developed policies to reduce illiteracy
- He co-operated with Catholics, Socialists and Nationalists and showed a willingness to work with other parties and adopt their ideas
Explain the achievements of Giolitti’s domestic policies in the period 1903- 1914 (8)
- A range of new laws were passed to regulate working hours and conditions covering the employment of women and children.
- Giolitti’s government authorised increased expenditure to provide water and improved communications in rural areas
- Roads, aqueducts and irrigation schemes were launched in the south, with the result that many peasants chose to remain in hamlets and isolated farms
- Giolitti decided to extend the franchise to 8.5 million in 1912 in the Franchise Law, with the vote now being available to all men over the age of 30, literate or not
- Giolitti successfully brought moderate socialists into his coalition, adopting many of their positions to overcome divisions of political thought
- Giolitti also managed to appease church opposition by allowing religious instruction in schools and developing a law supporting divorce
- Giolitti’s early years in office fortunately coincided with a period of boom and industrial expansion and this rapid industrial development reduced unemployment
- Additionally during this time the future Italian car giants e.g Fiat (1899) and Alfa Romeo (1910) were founded
Explain the failures of Giolitti’s domestic policies in the period 1903-1914 (8)
S - Giolitti aimed to reduce illiteracy levels in Italy however illiteracy rates were as high as 70% in 1912
S - In 1911 the responsibility for education was taken from local communities who had clearly failed in this respect and passed to the provincial authorities
P - Giolitti’s reforms didn’t please everyone. To the radical left they did not go far enough and yet to right they went too far
P - The growing nationalist movement after 1909 was in response to the indifference of Giolitti’s government to Italy’s international position
P - Giolitti also undermined his own attempts at reform through the use of bribery. This alienated the working class.
E - Giolitti took Italy to war in 1911 in his attempts for control of Libya however this endeavour proved to be costly economically
E - Additionally a poor harvest in 1897 combined with a new tax on imports increased the price of food leading to street demonstrations across the country
E - Wages were low during the Giolittian era
Explain the economic and social reforms introduced by Giolitti (8)
- He introduced various reforms to appease the working class such as introducing a Maternity Fund for all female industrial workers in 1910
- the National insurance provision for sickness and old age was extended and a compulsory weekly rest day was introduced in 1907
- Giolitti wanted to increase expenditure to provide water and improved communications in rural areas to accommodate the half a million Italians emigrating from the south
- A range of new laws were passed to regulate working hours and conditions covering the employment of women and children
- Anti-Malaria drugs were made available
- Giolitti increased government spending on public works by 50% between 1903 and 1907 to reduce unemployment
- Giolitti aimed to improve the rolling stock of the nationalised railways
- He also planned to balance budgets which will lead to judicious government spending to stimulate the economy
Give Giolitti’s economic successes (8)
- Giolitti was fortunate that his early years in office coincided with a period of boom and industrial expansion. Rapid industrial development reduced unemployment and Italy’s trade with the rest of the world more than doubled
- In 1904 the Italian railway system was nationalised and this resulted in better public services and improved transport facilities for manufacturers and exporters
- balanced budgets led to judicious government spending to stimulate the economy and alleviate suffering
- spending on public works rose by 50% between 1900 and 1907
- worldwide trade doubled
- roads, aqueducts and irrigation schemes were launched in the south and peasants settled once more on isolated farms or in hamlets
- Giolitti caused growth in the Italian car industry centred on Fiat and Alfa Romeo
- More money was made available in 1911
Explain the successes of Giolitti’s social and political reforms (4)
S - A range of new laws were passed to regulate working hours and conditions covering the employment of women and children
S - Factory conditions were to be supervised and steps were taken to encourage accident prevention
S - Giolitti’s government authorised increased expenditure to provide water and improved communications in rural areas, to accommodate the half a million Italians emigrating from the south
S - Old age pensions and health insurance was introduced. National insurance provision for sickness and old age was extended and a compulsory weekly rest day was introduced in 1907
P- To overcome the divisions of political thought, Giolitti successfully brought moderate socialists into his coalition, adopting many of their positions
P - To please workers, he sought to present his government as neutral in industrial disputes and instead encouraged arbitration’s between employers and employees
P - he engaged in dialogue with the Catholic Church which hinted at reconciliation and managed to successfully appease church opposition by allowing R.I in schools
P- the Electoral Law of 1912 extended the franchise to all men over 30, literate or not, increasing the size of the electorate to 8.5 million
Explain Italy’s foreign policy successes 1871-1913 (8)
- In 1882 Italy joined the Triple Alliance which gave it security against any possible French attack and allowed Italy to gain allies in its quest for colonies
- In 1885 Italian troops occupied the Port of Massawa and then pressed inland in its aim to achieve living space
- Italy also became the protectorate of Abyssinia due to the Treaty of Uccialli (1889) which took steps towards GPS
- Italy gained territory in Libya and the war was brought to an end in 1912 with the Treaty of Lausanne
- The Triple Alliance made Italy an ally of its previous enemy Austria and after 1903 Istria, Austria and Italy promised to follow a policy of peace and friendship and this took steps towards settling Italia Irredenta
- Italy took steps to gaining Great Power Status by improving relations with Britain to have Britain support Italian aims in Tripoli in return for Italian support in Egypt
- Additionally Italy was gaining equal status and prestige as other European powers by Victor Emmanuel III visiting Paris in 1903 and President Loubert of France being welcomed to Rome in 1904
- Italy also signed the Racconigi Agreement In 1909 with Russia, in which Russia promised to show benevolent neutrality towards Italy’s aims in Tripoli and Cyrenaica in return for supporting Russia to open the Dardanelles to her shipping
Explain Italy’s foreign policy failures 1871-1913 (8)
- Italian attempts to annex Tunisia were opposed by Britain and France, making Tunisia a French protectorate in 1881 by the Treaty of Bardo. Italy was not taken seriously and this increased anti-French feeling
- Despite establishing a protectorate over Italian Eritrea and the tribal groups in 1888 this didn’t bring in much benefit and was expensive to run
- In 1887 at Dogali a native African force humiliatingly wiped out 500 Italian troops, leading to failed foreign policy goal of gaining colonies and led to political instability
- Similarly in March 1896 an Italian expedition is wiped out at the battle of Adowa. It was utterly humiliating and Italy were forced to sign the Treaty of Addis Ababa acknowledging Ethiopian independence and paying 10 million lira compensation
- Despite gaining Libya as a protectorate it was largely desert and had few attractions as well as placing a financial burden on Italy
- the war on Libya was difficult to win, slow, and involved extremely brutal conflict and widespread atrocities on both sides. This undermines Italy’s attempt to gain equal prestige with other European powers
- Italy joined the Triple Alliance in 1882 and it proved to be an unhappy arrangement since Italy was clearly the junior partner, undermining her goal of GPS
- Although Istria, Austria and Italy promised to follow a policy of peace and friendship, irredentists’ claims were ignored and territories were not returned to Italy, thereby failing to settle Italia Irredenta
Explain how Italy’s relations changed with the Great Powers 1871 - 1913 (8)
- Italian attempts to annex Tunisia were opposed by Britain and France, making Tunisia a French protectorate in 1881 by the Treaty of Bardo. Italy was not taken seriously and this increased anti-French feeling
- Italy showed its displeasure by joining the Triple Alliance in 1882
- Relations improved with France with the Franco-Italian Convention of 1896 which resulted in Italian recognition of the French protectorate of Tunisia in return for political and commercial privileges
- Additionally In 1903 Victor Emmanuel III visited Paris and in 1904 President Loubert of France was welcomed to Rome
- Italy began to forge closer ties with Britain by insisting that the Triple Alliance signatories make a Ministerial Declaration in which they state that the Alliance is not against Britain
- In 1887 as a result of a Mediterranean Agreement, Italy, Britain and Austria-Hungary jointly undertook to maintain the status quo in the Balkans.
- In 1907 the British king, Edward VII met the Victor Emmmanuel III at Gaeta
- Despite the clashes between Italy and Austria over Italia Irredenta and Italy signing the Racconigi Agreement with Russia in 1909, Italy reached an agreement with Austria- Hungary where both countries agreed not to enter into agreements with any other nation without the knowledge of the other
The Triple Alliance was the most significant Agreement signed between Italy and Great Powers 1870-1914 (22) How far do you accept this verdict?
(20 bullet points);
Why TA was important :
- Since Germany and Austria-Hungary were both monarchies, the Treaty strengthened the hand of Victor Emmanuel II in his struggle against Italian republicanism
- it restricted the activities of Austrian Catholic’s who had secretly been plotting to restore the Papacy
- It made Italy an ally of its erstwhile enemy Austria
TA clauses
- The three countries involved promised peace and friendship and not to enter into any alliance against one another
- If France attacks Italy the other two powers were bound to go to its assistance
- if one or two of the alliance members were attacked (without provocation) or involved in a war with two or more of the other Great Powers, the other two would go to its assistance
Why it wasn’t important:
- Continuously undermined by Italy, such as forcing the signatories to make the Ministerial Declaration, Italy promising to remain neutral in future war with France and wouldn’t assist Germany in the event of a French attack and in 1906 Italy supported France and Britain against Germany at the time of the Moroccan crisis
Racconigi Agreement 1909
- Preserve status quo in Balkans
- aimed at Austrian ambitions in the region
- agreed to show benevolent neutrality with regards to Italy’s ambitions in Tripoli and Cyrenaica in return to support Russian plans to open the Dardanelles to her shipping
- Agreement undermined by Italy reaching agreement w Austria-Hungary
Franco Italian Convention 1896
- Italian recognition of French protectorate Tunisia in return for certain political and commercial privileges
- This led to a commercial Treaty being signed two years later that ended a damaging trade war
Mediterranean Agreement 1887
- Italy, Austria-Hungary and Britain undertook to maintain the status quo in the Mediterranean, Balkans, Black Sea etc.
- Move meant to hinder Russian and French expansion
- At same time Britain supported Italian aims in Tripoli and Italy in Egypt
Tripartite Pact 1906
- Between Britain, France and Italy in recognition of the independence of Abyssinia, a former Italian protectorate
- Italy lost living space by in the event of further difficulties the three powers agreed defined areas of influence for themselves
Conclusion:
- I agree that for the most part TA was the most significant agreement signed. It gave Italy protection from France and gained her allies which was important for achieving foreign policy aims (GPS, colonies)
- However other treaties such as Franco-Italian Convention would benefit Italy in gaining territory and ending previously negative relations and Mediterranean Agreement helped to hinder other countries’ expansion while being helped in their own aims
Examine Italy’s attempts at colonisation in Africa (8)
- Italy attempted to annex Tunisia in 1871 however was opposed by Britain and France. This led to The Treaty of Bardo being signed in 1881
- Italy became a protectorate of Italian Eritrea and had a loose protectorate over the varying tribal groups in 1888
- Despite having a protectorate over Eritrea neither it or the tribal groups brought in much benefit and were expensive to run
- During 1885 Italian troops occupied the Port of Massawa and then pressed inland. This led to border incidents and finally they were checked by Abyssinians
- In 1889 The Italians backed Menelek as claimant to the Abyssinian throne in return for Abyssinia becoming an Italian protectorate. However Menelek refused to honour the terms and insulted Italy
- However in March 1896 at the Battle of Adowa an Italian expedition was wiped out by natives and this was utterly humiliating. Italy were forced to sign the Addis Ababa Treaty which acknowledged Abyssinian independence and Italy paid 10 million lira as compensation
- Italy went to war for control of Libya in 1911 and it was a long and brutal conflict however Italy brought the war to an end in 1912 with the Treaty of Lausanne, making Libya an Italian protectorate. The Treaty was greeted with euphoria in Italy thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of D’Annunzio
- Although Italy gained new territory, Libya was largely desert and had very few attractions. It became a financial burden on Italy
Explain the aims of Italian Foreign policy (8)
- Wanted to gain Great Power Status In Europe and gain equal prestige and status with other European powers, as Italy saw themselves as being on par with the other major European powers
- to resolve the issue of Italia Irredenta (unredeemed Italy) Italy wanted to reclaim land in the north east where people spoke Italian but were under Austrian rule.
- They wanted to become an imperial power through acquiring colonies, raw materials and accessing new markets for goods. Industrialists and traders supporter gradezza (a drive for colonies)
- to gain living space for Italians since the country was overpopulated. By reclaiming Italia Irredenta and gaining colonies increasing emigration could be stopped.
- Through foreign policy success, the government also hoped to become more popular with nationalist extremists at home and it would silence government critics
- The government also wanted, through their foreign policy aims, to divert attention away from domestic problems such as North/South divide.
- They wanted to improve relations with Britain as Britain supplied coal and iron for Italy; essential for its economy.
- They wanted to improve relations with France and did so by signing the Franco-Italian Convention of 1896 and relations with Russia and Austria through a series of agreements (Racconigi Agreement)
Explain the opposition to Giolitti’s reforms (8)
- Giolitti lived in an age of lunatic idealism where people from the extreme left sought to bring down the system in violent revolution and on the right those like D’Annunzio were urging a cleansing of Italy by blood
- Giolitti was heavily criticised for his unassertive foreign policy and this led to the growing nationalist movement after 1909 in response to this indifference to Italy’s national position
- Giolitti was blamed for the slowness and cost of the Libyan war and nationalists got credit for the victory.
- socialists oppose the war, causing division between them and Giolitti
- Anti-clerical radicals were staunchly opposed to an administration that was apparently so dependent on the only enemy (Catholicism)
- Nationalists accused Liberals of putting their own careers before the good of the country. They also condemned the regime for failing to make Italy a great power, the equal of France or Britain
- Giolitti undermined his own attempts at reform through the use of bribery. This alienated the working class who viewed his actions as evidence of his willingness to try and hold onto power
- Some liberals opposed Giolitti as they feared an increase in the influence of the Catholic Church
