Italy in the run up to WW1 Flashcards
Why did Giolitti extend the franchise in 1912?
He hoped that increased suffarage would lead to greater national unity and an increase in liberal popularity. He hoped this would also undermine the PSI.
What was the franchise extension of 1912?
Giolitti passed a law which extended the vote to:
- all men aged 30
- all men who had served in the military
Now around 70% of Italian voters were illiterate
How many seats did the Liberals lose in the 1913 elections?
71 seats from the 1909 elections
Who was the president of the Catholic Electoral Union?
Count Gentiloni
What controversial thing did Count Gentiloni say which undermined Giolitti?
He said that around 228 of the 318 elected deputies owed their victory to the Catholic Church.
Why was this bad for Giolitti?
It made him look more reliant on the Church
The fact that he had made agreements with the RCC also angered many socialists and nationalists as well as anticlerical liberals
Why did Giolitti choose to resign?
The socialists and anti-clerical liberals decided to withdraw their support for Giolitti’s government
What started ‘Red Week’?
The PSI proclaimed a national strike after 3 protestors were shot dead by the Police in Ancona.
How long did ‘Red Week’ last?
7 June 1914 - 14 June 1914
What happened during ‘Red Week’?
Public buildings were torched
Tax registers were destroyed
Railway stations seized
Churches attacked
Italy was on the verge of revolution!
What ended ‘Red Week’?
Trade unions agreed to call off the strike…
