Liberal State - Unification and Political System Flashcards
What year did Italy celebrate the 50th anniversary of Italian unification?
1911
Which people were against unification in italy?
The Catholic church and Socialist politicians
Who boycotted the events of the Italian unification’s 50th anniversary?
The Catholic Church
Why did Socialist politicians refuse to celebrate the 50th anniversary Italian Unification?
They believed it was meaningless and a deep divide between the north and south still existed linguistically, economically, and politically.
When did Italy reach partial unification?
1861
When had Italy become fully unified with Rome?
1870
What had Italian politicians failed to do (in relation to unification) since 1870?
Construct a real sense of patriotism that would bind the diverse elements of Italian society together
What did Giovanni Giolitti do in 1911 to inspire nationalism?
Set out a programme to unite all Italians including Catholics and socialists, within the framework of the liberal political system
Risorgimento
The rebirth, referring to the unification of Italy which concluded after the incorporation of Rome in 1870
Anarchism
Political ideology that believes in the violent overthrow of state authority and control and the establishment of a self-governing order where people would be free to live in a society without government or laws.
After unification, what were Italians mostly defined by in terms of identity?
Campanilismo
Campanilismo
A feeling of pride or belonging to a place of birth which was stronger than a sense of national identity
How many people in Italy spoke a regional dialect after unification?
99%
Where was the official Italian language from?
Florence
What did the Italian politician Massimo d’Azeglio say about unification?
‘We have made Italy. Now we must make Italians’
What happened in the May 1989 protests?
The protests against Italy’s political system and economic issues had been met by a brutal government crackdown and 100 protesters were killed in Milan.
When was King Umberto I assassinated?
On the 29th July 1900, by an Italian anarchist who wanted to avenge the deaths of the May 1989 protesters.
Statuto
Italian Constitution created in 1848 based on Piedmont
What important rights did Statuto guarantee?
- Equality before law
- Right to free assembly
- Free press
Set up the constitutional monarchy and elected parliament
What political powers did the King of Italy hold?
He could:
- Appoint and dismiss government ministers and senators (incl PM)
- Control foreign policy
How was Parliament structured in liberal italy?
There were two chambers;
- The senate was upper house and senators were appointed by the king
- The chamber of deputies was lower house and elected every 5 years with more power than senate
What limited the people who could vote in Liberal Italy?
Age, Property ownership and educational qualifications (Men only)
Transformismo
Since political parties were weak, governments were coalitions of different factions
What were the consequences of a coalition government?
Political life was unstable, different factions could not agree and it was hard for voters to understand what was going on in government and coalitions fell apart quickly
How many governments were there in Italy from 1900-11?
Nine
What were most of the Italians in parliament like?
Northern, professional, middle class who tended to represent the interests of their own class at the expense of the wider population
What hampered Italys political development?
The Catholic Church and the Roman Question
Roman Question
Described the split between the Italian state and the Catholic Church which refused to recognise the legitimacy of the unified nation, the pope argues that the Papal states had been annexed by an invading force and a return of his temporal power was necessary to ensure independence. However, no Italian government was willing to give up Rome to the CC
How the Catholic Church might be encourages to compromise and play an active part within the Italian state was a key concern for Italy’s politicians for nearly 60 years until Mussolini achieved a solution in 1929
Why did Pope Pius IX refuse to recognise the new Italian state?
He was angered at the capture of Rome in 1870 and the loss of papal territory and refused to recognise the new Italian state
What did Leo XIII do in 1886?
Formally forbade catholics from running for office or voting in national elections
- This robbed Italy of a potentially unifying symbol and questioned the legitimacy of the new nation
- Prevented the creation of a national conservative party based on catholic values
- No parliamentary challenge to liberal middle class
How did prominent politicians form governments?
By offering key positions to other parliamentary members (deputies) who would agree to support them as prime minister
What did success as a politician depend on?
Skill in forming political alliances by knowing how to secure (buy) the support of other deputies, rather than through popular policies
How long was Luigi Pellox prime minister for?
May 1899 - June 1900
How long was Giuseppe Saracco prime minister for?
June 1900 - February 1901
How long was Giuseppe Zanardelli prime minister for?
February 1901- October 1903
How long was Giovanni Giolitti prime minister for? (for the first time)
November 1903 - March 1905
How long was Tommaso Tittoni prime minister for?
March 1905
How long was Alessandro Fortis prime minister for?
March 1905 - February 1906
How long was Sidney Sonnino prime minister for? (first time)
February 1906 - May 1906
How long was Giovanni Giolitti prime minister for? (Second time)
May 1906 - December 1909
How long was Sidney Sonnino prime minister for? (second time)
December 1909 - March 1910
How long was Luigi Luzzatti prime minister for?
March 1910 - March 1911
How long was Giovanni Giolitti prime minister for? (third time)
March 1911 - March 1914
How long was Antonio Salandra prime minister for?
March 1914 - June 1916
