Liberal PMs Flashcards
Describe cairoli’s background before becoming PM
- Devoted to the risorgimento from 1848-1870
- Garibaldian officer, commanded a volunteer company under Garibladi in 1859 and 1860
- Political refugee
- Anti-Austrian conspirator
- Deputy to parliament
How did Cairoli’s family augment his prestige?
His 4 brothers fell during the wars of the risorgimento, and his mother was renowned for her heroic conduct during the war
How did Cairoli further endear himself to the Italian people following the wars of the risorgimento?
He refused all compensation
When did Cairoli become leader of his party?
Became the leader in 1876, then a deputy of 16 years, as the left came into power
When did Cairoli become PM?
He formed his cabinet in 1878 with a francophile and nationalist party
What did Cairoli permit his nationalist supporters to do?
Carry the country to the brink of war with Austria
At which diplomatic event did Cairoli cause irritation?
Irritation was caused by his failure at the Berlin Congress, where Italy obtained nothing, while Austria-Hungary acquired Bosnia and Herzegovina
What, perhaps unfairly, caused the ned of Cairoli’s first term as PM?
An attempt to assassinate the king in Naples, in spite of his courage in sustaining a severe wound to protect the King
When did Cairoli come to power for the second time?
In 1879, he formed a coalition with Depretis, where he retained the premiership and foreign office
What caused Cairoli to rsign in 1881?
The French occupation of Tunisia caused him to resign in light of popular indignation
What happened to Cairoli after his resignation in 1881?
He practically disappered from political life, eventually dying in 1889 while a guest of King Umberto at the royal palace
Who was Crispi?
A fiery, revolutionary left-winger who had fought with Garibaldi
When did Crispi become PM for the first time?
Following Depretis’ death in 1887, Crispi abandoned the left to become PM. He was the first PM from southern Italy
What impact did Crispi’s first premiership have domestically?
- As a true left winger, he tried to reform Italy
- He abolished the death penalty
- Revoked anti-strike laws
- Limited police powers
- Reorganised charities
- Passed public health laws
- In 1889, his government promoted a new penal code, which abolished capital punishment and recognised the right to strike
What was Crispi’s foreign policy during his first premiership?
- One of his first acts as premier was the triple alliance with Germany. This comitted Italy to a possible war with France, and led to increased taxes to pay for weapons - making it unpopular in Italy
- He was anti-French, and therefore started a tariff war in 1888. It proved to be an economic disaster, costing 2,000,000,000 lire in lost exports over the course of 10 years
What was Crispi’s colonial policy during his first term as PM?
- Determined to colonise, Crispi signed the treaty of Wuchale, which claimed Italian ownership of Eritrea, near Ethiopia
- The Ethiopian Emperor Menelik rejected this claim, informed the press and a scandal erupted
- Along with a defiicit that was higher than expected, this forced Crispi’s resignation in 1891
When did Crispi become PM for the second time?
In 1894, following the Banca Romana scandal
Describe Crispi’s harsh policies on law and order in 1894
- Fearing unrest in Sicily, he sent 40,000 troops to restore order
- In Sicily, he arrested not just the leaders, but poor farmers, students and even sympathisers
- He introduced new anti-anarchist laws, which would then also be used against the socialists
- Police were given new powers of arrest and deportation
What did King Umberto say about Crispi’s colonial policy?
‘Crispi wants to occupy everywhere, even China and Japan’
Describe Crispi’s foreign policy during his second premiership
He talked openly about attacking France and broke off relations with Portugal, this ‘entirely unimportant country’
Describe Crispi’s great colonial failure during his second term
- Began a war with Ethiopia in 1895
- Italian troops had initial success before he withdrew part of the army to save money
- Italy suffered a humiliating defeat at Adowa, with Italian casualty rates worse than any other battle of the 19th century, including Waterloo
- This forced Crispi’s resignation
How did Crispi respomd to his loss against the ethiopians?
- He would not deal with them, regarding it as humiliating for the Italians to make peace with ‘monkeys’
- Said he did not care about the lives of the 15,000 Italians taken prisoner, saying they were ‘expendable’ compared to the ‘glorious’ national mission of conquering Ethiopia
What did the authorities prosecute Crispi for at the end of 1897?
Embezzlement, with Crispi resigning his seat in parliament soon after
What happened to crispi after he resigned his parliamentary seat?
His health gave way and he died in Naples on August 11 1901
Describe Minghetti’s background before becoming PM
- A liberal who had urged the election of a liberal pope since 1846
- Was appointed to prepare a constitution for the papal states
- Served the piedmontese army as captain
- Returned to Rome in 1848, and spent 8 years in study and travel
- Was appointed Piedmontese minister of the interior, but resigned shortly after Cavour’s death
- He was subsequently chosen to be minister of finance by Farini, who he would succeed in 1863
What caused the end of Minghetti’s first premiership?
- Signed the September convention, whereby Napoleon had to evacuate Rome, and Italy had to transfer her capital from Turin to Florence. The convention excited violent opposition in Turin, which forced him to resign
What did Minghetti do between his first and second premierships?
Fought against an Italo-French alliance and was sent to London and Vienna in 1870 to try and organise a league of neutral powers following the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war
When did Minghetti become PM for the second time?
In 1873, he overthrew PM Lanza-Sella and regained the premiership, which he held until his fall from power in March 1876
What were Minghetti’s 3 major achievements as PM during his second term?
- Inaugarated alliance between Italy, Austria and Germany
- Reformed naval and military administration
- He was able to balance the budget for the first time ssince 1860
What did Minghetti do after his second term had finished?
- After the beginnings of the left, he remained in opposition for some years
- In 1884, he joined Depretis in creating the transformismo, which brought conservative suppport to liberal cabinets
- Minghetti drew no personal advantage from the transformismo movement and died in 1886 without having reurned to power
Describe Depretis’ background before becoming PM
- Survived being minister of the navy during the Italian naval deafeats against Austria by calling for Admiral Persano to be fired to save his skin. It was Austria conceding Veneto to Italy through France that saved his career
- Became leader of the left in 1873 and refused to work with the then PM Minghetti, defeating his government on nationalising railways
How much support did Depretis have upon becoming PM?
414 of the 508 MPs supported his government
What did Depretis achieve during his first term as PM?
- His main reform was the coppino law, which introduced compulsory, secular and free primary education for children aged 6-9
- Raised the minimum exemption from the wealth tax from 250 to 800 lire, granting greater deductions for industrial income
What caused Depretis to resign as PM in December 1877?
He had to face violent attacks against his ministers who were considered guilty of abuses and illegality. Depretis felt unable to cope with the crisis and resigned
Describe Depretis’ short second ministry?
The King asked Depretis to come back shortly after his 1st resignation. He became power crazed, abolishing the ministry of agricuture, industry and commerce and empowering the treasury to give him greater control over the budget. This meant that by 1878 he had been forced to resign
Describe Depretis’ short 3rd ministry
He was PM again just a few months after his second resignation after the assination attempt on the King caused Cairoli’s downfall. He tried to abolish the tax on the mill, but the chamber rejected it and he was forced out within 6 months
What led to Depretis becoming PM for the 4th time in 1881?
Cairoli resigning after the French occupation of Tunisia
What did depretis sign in 1882?
The triple alliance, a secret agreement between Italy, Austria and Germany to oppose Britain, France and Russia. Each member promised to support each other in the face of an attack from one of the three opposition powers
How did Depretis bring about electoral reform in 1882?
All men aged over 21 with atleast 2 years of elementary education or who contributed an annual tax were entitled to vote. This meant the voting age was lowered from 25 to 21. This resulted in the number of eligible voters increasing from 621,896 to 2,017,829
