Italy Booklet 1- The Liberal State c1911-1918 Flashcards
What is socialism?
Wanting fair rights for workers and and giving them better working conditions and pay. Can be split into maximalist and minimalist socialists (maximalists wanted a socialist revolution where workers take control whereas minimalists want better workers’ rights and were willing to work with Giolitti to achieve change).
What is nationalism?
A strong patriotic identification with one’s nation which creates a shared identity for people in the same country. Nationalists wanted a revolution and thought the liberal government was weak so they were unwilling to work with Giolitti. They wanted to expand Italy’s empire and make it a great world power.
What is liberalism?
A political ideology that promotes political and constitutional democracy, individual rights, civil liberties and free enterprise. Some liberals were anti-clerical liberals who disliked the Catholic Church and were angry when Giolitti made concessions to them.
What were Giolitti’s main aims?
To unify Italy.
Stay in power and increase popularity of liberalism.
Weaken nationalist support.
Absorb competing parties (socialists and Catholics) through trasformismo and concessions.
Make Italy a great modern power.
When was the PSI founded?
1895
What are some concessions that Giolitti made to the socialists?
Banning employment of under 12s (1901).
Introduction of a maternity fund (1910).
State subsidised sickness.
Old age fund for the Merchant Navy (1913).
New policy of non-intervention in labour disputes. Arbitration courts that would settle pay disputes between employers and employees which lowered need for strikes (1906).
Why did Giolitti struggle with the Catholic Church?
The Roman Question- he was not prepared to make any concessions regarding papal territory in Rome.
He also wanted to prioritise getting the support of Turati and the socialists meaning he wouldn’t offer them too many concessions as this would anger the PSI.
What concessions did Giolitti make with the Catholic Church?
He got rid of a divorce bill that was close to being passed and promoted Catholic interests in education. Catholics were also part of governing coalitions in Turin, Bologna, Florence and Venice by 1911.
When was the ANI founded?
1910
What was Giolitti’s main problem with the nationalists?
They were rapidly gaining support and were completely unwilling to work with him. They saw all his concessions as weak and corrupt, especially his policies for the PSI. This made it very hard for Giolitti to gain nationalist support.
When was the war in Libya?
1911
Who supported the Libyan war?
Nationalists as they wanted to expand Italy’s empire and bring people together through war.
Catholic Church as they had considerable financial interests in Libya.
Some minimalist socialists like Bissolati who thought acquiring the colony would provide land for Italy’s peasantry.
What was the nationalist reaction to the Libyan War?
They took credit for the war and blamed the liberals for the 3500 Italian deaths as well as the fact that it took so long. This increased support for nationalism and accentuated their opposition to the liberal government.
What was the socialist reaction to the Libyan war?
The PSI opposed the war as imperialist militarism and radicals expelled members who had supported the war like Bissolati. This meant the PSI became more maximalist and refused further co-operation with Giolitti so he lost socialist support.
Why did Giolitti extend the franchise in 1912?
He couldn’t deny the vote to the soldiers who had fought in Libya. He also hoped that with the right to vote, workers may be less inclined to support radical ideologies, particularly socialism and nationalism. He also thought that more conservative rural areas would be able to vote for him and would increase his support.
After the extension of the franchise in 1912, what percentage of Italian voters were now illiterate?
70%
How many seats did Giolitti lose in the 1913 election?
71
What was the Gentiloni Pact?
An agreement between Count Gentiloni and liberal politicians to agree to 7 key Catholic points in exchange for the Catholic vote. Gentiloni bragged afterwards that this accounted for 228 of 318 liberals elected.
What was the impact of the Gentiloni Pact?
Giolitti became very dependent on Catholic support and this made him look very weak. It also lost him the support of the socialists and anti-clerical liberals which caused him to resign in March 1914. He could no longer stay in power without working fully with the Catholic Church.
What were the economic failures between 1911 and 1914?
Downturn in the economy after 1908, affecting production and exports.
Major North/ South divide where industry was centred in the North.
Income was double in the North compared to the South.
Lost more than 5 million working days to strikes between 1912 and 1914.
What were the economic successes between 1911 and 1914?
By 1911 there were 6 major car producers in Turin alone, employing over 6000 workers.
By 1914, FIAT supplied half of Italy’s vehicles.
One third of the world’s silk supply was supplied by Italy in 1913.
Iron and steel industries thrived.
When and what was Red Week?
A week of chaos where buildings were torched, railway stations seized and churches attacked. Hundreds of workers lost their lives in battles against authorities and Italy appeared to be on the verge of revolution. It was organised by the PSI and included anarchists and republicans too. It was in June 1914.
Who replaced Giolitti after he resigned in 1914 and what did he link liberalism to?
Antonio Salandra. He believed he could strengthen the liberal position in Italy by linking more closely to nationalism. In 1913, he said “the flame of idealism at the heart of Italian liberalism is patriotism- love of the fatherland”. He tries to steal support from the nationalists to minimise the threat they pose to him.
What alliance was Italy a part of before the war?
The Triple Alliance with Austria and Germany. This wasn’t popular in Italy as Austria was an old enemy.
