ITALY Booklet 2: Post-war challenges to the Liberal State, 1918-1920 Flashcards
Why did Italian Nationalists describe the results of WWI as a ‘mutilated victory’?
Was propaganda to fuel the Italian people to be angry at the outcome of the war due to Italy not getting all of the promised territorial land
What was the significance of the occupation of Fiume?
Crucial episode of the rise to facism
Demonstrated the fragility of the Italian government and what successes can be achieved through violent and decisive action
Which groups began to turn to extremist politics and why?
Workers - Countryside was in turmoil, Liberal government unable to protect their interests
Industrialists - Feared a takeover of Italy by growing socialist movements, felt betrayed, feared a ‘red threat’
Middle Class and Petty Bourgeoisie - Hard hit by economic issues, resented the government, believed that fascist groups could protect their economic,social, and, political interests against socialist encroachment
Mutilated victory
Nationalist and Fascist propaganda campaign in which they felt betrayed by the allies in the Treaty of Versailles for not getting the promised territorial land
Roman salute
Fascist salute which is used in order to see and tell who is a fascist
Futurists
A cultural, artistic movement who celebrated violence, patriotism and, destruction, believed that war would bring about a better society
League of Nations (in context of Italy after WWI)
Intergovernmental organisation set up in order to promote international cooperation and communication
Petty bourgeoisie
The section of the middle class with the lowest social status, generally composed of shopkeepers, lower clerical staff
Sacchi Law (1919)
Eliminated husbands’ superiority in family law; giving women the right to control their own property, have equal guardianship of their children, stand for public office and enter professions
What political reforms did Nitti introduce, and what impact did they have?
Universal male suffrage - Opened up the voting ground entirely for men and made it more representative and democratic
Proportional Representation - Allowed minority groups to have their say and not be engulfed by majority groups, increased representation in smaller areas
How did the biennio rosso weaken the liberal government?
Lead to a number of strikes - as workers were being unsupported
Anarchists and socialist radicals had been released
Losing faith in the liberals - so more support is going to more extreme parties
Polarisation of politics
What were the results of the 1919 election, and what problems did they create?
Nitti stays in power even though the socialist party and people’s party gain the most votes, in 1920 resigns and Giolliti gets reinstated
Biennio Rosso
Two years between 1919 and 1920 of intense social conflict
Popolari Party (PPI)
Italian peoples party which was a christian-democratic party inspired by the catholics social teachings
What role did they play in the post-war problems that the government faced?
Giolitti
What role did they play in the post-war problems that the government faced?
Francesco Nitti
Dissolved the majority of liberals who supported him which made him a target of fascist aggressions, was prime minister but the government was extremely insatiable and its relationship with the allies worsening
Gabriele D’Annunzio - What role did they play in the post-war problems that the government faced?
Led the seizure of Fiume which showed the cracks of the italian government and boosted the facism reach in Italy due to it promoting disillusionment in the Liberal government
Luigi Sturzo - What role did they play in the post-war problems that the government faced?
Formed the PPI - no government could be formed or maintained without them - anti fascist
Mussolini - What role did they play in the post-war problems that the government faced?
Formed the blackshirts who beat up socialists and communists throwing them out of local governments, his fascist movement gained a lot of attention, originally a socialist who advocated for workers rights but moved more right leading as the fascist party gained more power
