Italy Key terms and definitions

Question 1

Constitutional monarchy

Answer 1

A political design consisting of a monarchy that although they are officially head of state, they have little to no actual power over parliament.

Question 2

bicameral government

Answer 2

A government with two houses of parliament

Question 3

Transformismo

Answer 3

Political manoeuvring and deal making

Question 4

Subsistence agriculture

Answer 4

farming to feed yourself, not selling or trading anything made

Question 5

Golden triangle

Answer 5

A triangle of industry formed between Milan, Genoa and Turin in the north of Italy

Question 6

Mezzogiorno

Answer 6

The south of Italy (from naples down)

Question 7

Irredenta

Answer 7

Area outside of Italy owned and controlled by other countries/empires that contained Italian speakers so were claimed by Italy.

Question 8

Contadini

Answer 8

Labourers

Question 9

The roman question

Answer 9

the tensions between the Church and the state of

Italy caused by the unification as a secular state.

Question 10

risorgimento

Answer 10

the unification of Italy in 1870

Question 11

anarchism

Answer 11

The belief in getting rid of all government and ruling the country in a voluntary, cooperative basis.

Question 12

campanilismo

Answer 12

The idea of being loyal to the place you were born (specific state, rather than Italy as a whole).

Question 13

Nationalism

Answer 13

Support and loyalty for your own nation, often with the detriment of your own interests or those of another nation.

Question 14

Appease

Answer 14

When you pacify someone or a group of people by agreeing to their demands.

Question 15

Franchise

Answer 15

The people in the country who have the right to vote.

Question 16

Patriotism

Answer 16

When you are devoted to and enthusiastically support your country and all that it stands for.

Question 17

Ottoman empire

Answer 17

A state that, between the 14th and early 20th centuries, had control of large areas in Southeastern Europe, Western Asia and Northern Africa.

Question 18

Banco de Roma

Answer 18

A large bank based in rome. It was considered a bank of national interest and was established on 9th March 1880.

Question 19

Catholic/liberal/Gentiloni pact

Answer 19

The deal made between the president of the catholic electoral union (Count Gentiloni) and many members of the liberalist party to encourage Italians to vote for the liberalists in return for a promise to vote in the catholics’ favour on seven key points

Question 20

anti-clericalism

Answer 20

Opposition to the clergy (the people in church with power), basically opposition to the Church

Question 21

Syndicalism

Answer 21

A movement of direct action by the working class against the capitalist order, to gain control of the economy.

Question 22

Italian socialist party (PSI)

Answer 22

The first Italian political organisation set up as a modern day political party, they were a party who addressed the concerns of the ordinary working people. They were set up in 1895.

Question 23

Italian Nationalist Association (ANI)

Answer 23

They were founded in 1910 and were a party made up of business people, landowners and former catholics. They were pro-business, pro-landowner and hated socialists

Question 24

Triple alliance

Answer 24

The alliance formed between Italy, Germany and Austria-Hungary pre-WWI

Question 25

Triple Entente

Answer 25

The alliance formed between Britain, France and Russia, then later Italy

Question 26

Treaty of London

Answer 26

The document stating Italy’s intervention in WWI on the side of the triple Entente in return for the irredente lands in Austria

Question 27

Battle of Caporetto

Answer 27

A battle fought at Caporetto in October 1917 when the Austrians surprised the Italians by pushing into Italy, resulting in a humiliating military defeat for Italy. 300,000 Italian soldiers were taken prisoner and 200,000 are unaccounted for.

Question 28

Battle of Vittorio Veneto

Answer 28

A Battle also fought fairly near to Caporetto in October 1918 where the Italians won against the Austrians. 500,000 Austrian soldiers were taken prisoner and this loss was what made the Austrians surrender.

Question 29

Pyrrhic victory

Answer 29

A victory or success that comes at great losses or failures

Question 30

Mutilated Victory

Answer 30

What the Italian nationalists called the victory in WWI because they felt like Italy had been cheated out of land and reputation, disregarding the deaths and other sacrifices made by the italian people.

Question 31

Roman salute

Answer 31

Also known as the facist salute, it is the gesture made where one raises their arm straight out in front of them with the palm facing towards the ground and fingers together.

Question 32

Petty bourgeoisie

Answer 32

The lower middle class, made up of small business or shop owners.

Question 33

Sacchi law

Answer 33

A law which eliminated husbands’ superiority in family law and gave women the right to control their own property, have equal guardianship of their children, stand for public office and enter professions.

Question 34

Bienno Rosse

Answer 34

Two years (1919 and 1920) when there were many strikes and social unrest.

Question 35

Popolari Party (PPI)

Answer 35

A party set up by a priest, representing catholic ideals. Was in favour of land redistribution to the peasants

Question 36

Fasci di Combattimento

Answer 36

The original fascist movement set up in march 1919 with three main declarations; to remember those wounded or killed during WWI, to be against imperialism and to get rid of neutralists in government.

Question 37

Squadrismo

Answer 37

The name of the movement of the squadristi, the groups of men who were led by the ras of their areas and although they were not led by Mussolini, they acted in the name of fascism.

Question 38

Squadristi

Answer 38

Another name for the black shirts, they were the groups of ex-soldiers who enacted fascist violence mostly against the socialists. They wore blackshirts.

Question 39

ras

Answer 39

paramilitary Fascist squad leaders who controlled many rural areas of central Italy and exercised considerable local power throughout the Fascist period. They were in charge of their own squad of blackshirts.

Question 40

Avanti!

Answer 40

The socialist newspaper, Mussolini used to be an editor for them until he was kicked out in 1914 for publishing a piece about how Italy should get involved in WWI. In 1919, one of the original intentions of the movement was to discourage socialist press, and the Avanti! Building was set on fire on 15th April 1919.

Question 41

PNF

Answer 41

The official party set up as the fascist party, with Mussolini as the leader. (Partito Nazionale Fascista)

Question 42

Carabinieri

Answer 42

Italian military who deal with domestic policing issues, however they are different to the police. They are one of Italy’s main law enforcement agencies

Question 43

New programme

Answer 43

The new set of ideals and policies set out by Mussolini for the fascist party in 1921, turning away from socialism and embracing the nationalist, monarchist and authoritarian beliefs.

Question 44

Black shirst

Answer 44

Mainly made up of ex-soldiers, they were a group of men who enacted fascist violence mainly against the socialists. They were led by individual ras in their areas, not by Mussolini. By 1921, there were around 250,000 of them.

Question 45

March on Rome

Answer 45

A march to the city in an attempt to get more power for the fascists. They said that 40,000 men would march into Rome, but due to issues with the trains, only 25,000 managed to get there. Somehow, the government thought that there were going to be 100,000 heavily armed and organised men, when in reality there were only 25,000 lightly armed and very disorganised men still awaiting orders. Mussolini was actually offered the place of prime minister before the march took place. The king did not enact martial law to stop them, and many believed that even if he had, most of the military would have supported the fascists instead.

Question 46

OVRA

Answer 46

Organization for Vigilance and Repression of Anti-Fascism, the secret police founded by Mussolini

Question 47

il Duce

Answer 47

Means leader, it was the name Mussolini was called

Question 48

Leege Fascistissime

Answer 48

The Legge Fascistissime of 1925 banned all political parties and non-fascist trade unions, strengthened media regulation and set up a new secret police

Question 49

The fascist grand council

Answer 49

created in december 1922 with the intent of undermining the cabinet by having a group of 22 fascists who had the same power as those in the cabinet.

Question 50

Acerbo law

Answer 50

Change to the electoral system. Any party gaining 25% or more of votes was granted two thirds of the seats in the chamber of deputies.

Question 51

MVSN

Answer 51

Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, better known as the Blackshirts, the Italian Fascist paramilitary groups

Question 52

Cheka

Answer 52

feared Bolshevik security agency, formed to identify and eradicate counter-revolutionary activity, sometimes referred to as the Bolshevik ‘secret police’, though most Russians were well aware of its existence and activities.

Question 53

Aventine Secession

Answer 53

a group of round 100 parliamentary deputies who left Mussolini’s parliament in protest of the Matteotti murder, they set up their own