Mussolini and the Church II Flashcards
What derogatory term did BM originally refer to priests as?
Black germs
Why was the church willing to cooperate with BM by 1922?
He was clearly not going to be deposed. There was no credible opposition and Fascism was clearly there to stay.
Who met secretly with BM in 1923 to arrange a pact?
Gasparri
In April 1923 BM was able to dismiss who?
The Populari
What issue did the pope support BM over?
The Matteotti Crisis of 1924
Which two institutions clashed?
Catholic Action and the Ballilia
How was this clash resolved?
Catholic youth groups weren’t allowed to compete with Fascist groups.
What did BM refuse to do even after the Lateran treaties?
Kiss the Pope’s ring.
What did the party do to appeal to the Church?
- granted them religious education in all schools
- intensified the pre-existing divorce laws
- banned contraception
- made swearing in public illegal
Which two marriages cemented their alliance?
BM’s renewal of his vows to Rachele and the arranging of his daughter to marry Ciano in St Peters
Why did BM and the Church fall out in 1938?
BM declared that the Italians were “a pure, superior race” before implementing the anti-Semitic race laws. This angered the Pope.
How did the Pope respond to the 1938 Race laws?
He responded to the race laws by stating that “Catholicism is universal; it is nor racist)
How much was paid to the church in compensation?
750 million lira
What else was the church given in compensation?
1000 million lira worth in government bonds as compensation for lands lost at unification
Where did the pope have sovereignty over?
The Vatican and spiritual matters.
What did the pope have control over?
Religious education
What did the pope recognise?
The Italian state and Rome as the capital of Italy.
What status was given to Catholicism?
It was the official state religion
What input would the state have in Church matters?
The appointment of bishops
What couldn’t the clergy join?
Political parties
What did Mussolini open to celebrate the lateran treaty?
The Road of Conciliation
Why were some disappointed?
Radical fascists wanted a truly totalitarian regime so they considered the Concordat to be a betrayal of their aims :’(
Why could Mussolini ultimately count the treaty as a success?
- He was the only politician in Italy’s short history to be endorsed by the church.
- Religious endorsement gave the regime international prestige.
- Church helped the government reach the rural masses.
Church gained 1000M lira in govt bonds- what was the coupon rate?
5% It thus paid less than it would have paid (3.25M liras p/a) under the 1871 Law of Guarantees, which the Holy See had not accepted (sucks to be them lol)
