Italy 1933-41 Flashcards
Weakness of Liberal Italy 1870’s-1923
1) Lack of national identity-division between north and south
2) Liberal government represented upper class therefore working class protested.
3) Growing ring winged movement
4) glorified war
5) nationalist opposition wanted to compete with Britain, France and German imperialism.
6) Criticized the weakness of liberal government
7) Uneasy division between Church and state.
What is Fascism ?
1) Form of government generally headed by a dictator
2) Demands strict obedience to the central power.
3) authoritarianism.
4) Nationalism
5) fear of foreigners; no to internationalism.
6) Violence is justified in the interest of state.
7) Oppressing minorities.
8) Anti-communist
9) Anti-socialist.
10) Against multi-party liberal democracy.
11) Anti-pacifist (against peacemaking)
Why did Fascism grew in Italy ?
1) Italy didn’t receive the territories they were promised by Britain and France during the Treaty of London 1915-They were supporting France and Britain against Austria-Hungary and Germany.
2) Widespread anger because Italy lost 600,000 men in WWI
3) The fascist party,formed in 1915, led by Benito Mussolini started participating in political actions.
4) fascism appealed to Italian conservatives, promoting family values, reducing no of women in workforce,accepting Roman catholic church.
5) In 1920, Fascist party joined hands with the industrial workers strike.
How did Fascism appealed to conservatives in Italy
1) Fascism adopted policies such as promoting family values
2) policies designed to reduce the number of women in the workforce by limiting the woman’s role to that of a mother.
3) The fascists banned literature on birth control and increased penalties for abortion in 1926, declaring both crimes against the state.
Economic Factors that led to the rise of Fascism
1)High inflation rate after WW1
2) Support of anti-communist business people, property owners, and middle-class professionals like teachers and doctors- Italian communist Party in 1921
3)Gained support from the wealthy industrialists and
landowners
4) Loss of faith in the Italian government’s ability to fix the economy
Key Factor leading to the Mussolini Rise to Power in 1922
1) lacked sense of national identity.Economic and political divisions between recently unified Italy. Majority of peasants living in the south whereas industrialized north prospered.
2) Conflict between Church and State, up until 1914, Vatican urged Catholics to not vote.
3) Liberal government had a reputation for corruption and representing the needs of only middle and upper class.
3) It led to the growing protest among working class and peasant.It emerged out as a general strike in 1914.
4) Nationalist opposition criticized the weakness of liberal government for failing to become a ‘Great Power’.
5) Nationalist wanted an empire to compete with Britain, France and Germany.
6) By 1922, the liberal government was weak and vulnerable
7) In 1922, socialists and communist called a.general strike -Middle class believed only Fascism and Mussolini could restore law and order.
8)
How did Mussolini gained power ?
1) On 16th Oct, 1922, Mussolini met with leading Fascists in Milan and agreed on seizing the power.
2) On 24 Oct, 1992, 40,000 Blackshirt’s showed the intention to march on Rome.
3) 27 Oct, Fascists squads attempted to seize the control of gov buildings in North and Central Italy.
4) The government panicked and resigned and the king was compelled to appoint Mussolini as the new PM.
Important events after Mussolini took power
1) Feb 1923, nationalists joined the Fascists party.
2) Apr, 1924, Fascists campaign of intimidation and violence increased their representation from 7%-60%
3) May 1924, Liberal Politician gave a speech against Fascism and he got murdered after 11 days.
4) Jan 1925-Mussolini established himself as Duce, leader.
5)Dec 1925, Political parties and trade union banned, Press strictly controlled
6) Dec 1925, Law on Power of the head of government -gave Mussolini essential executive powers.
Elected locals were replaced by appointed locals.
7) Nov 1926-Jan 192-Secret Police, Power of arrest increased, trail without jury, death penalty expanded to include actions against authorities.
Mussolini’s quotes
” To make Italy great, respected and feared”
Mussolini’s goals
Goals
- increase national pride
- consolidate domestic support for the regime
- dominate the Balkans
- dominate the Mediterranean
- build an Empire (gain spazio vitale or “living space”)
- expand its territories in Africa
- foster spread of Fascism in other countries
Italian economy
1) autarky
2) Productivism
3) Corporate State
Fascist Foreign Policy
- a glorification of war for its own sake
- pursuit of imperial expansion
- a move away from diplomacy and cooperations-
- Fostered closer ties with Hitler’s Germany in the 1930s
- Italy suffered from the Great Depression - war would distract Italians from the internal economic problems
- Increasing involvement of Mussolini in European affairs
