Mussolini and the development of fascism, 1919-22 Flashcards
LO: foundation of Fasci di Combattimento and party programme, squadrismo and the move to the right, political legitimacy, the PNF, the 'New Programme', nature and extent of fascist support in 1922
what was Mussolini’s belief about Italy’s democratic system?
Mussolini believed the democratic system had weakened Italy and wanted to establish an authoritarian regime
who were the main groups that supported Mussolini’s fascist movement?
he attracted support from those disenchanted with the liberal political system and those who feared the growth of socialism, such as landowners and businessmen
what role did Giolitti play in the rise of Mussolini’s fascist movement?
Giolitti, in 1921, agreed to cooperate with Mussolini and the fascists in the May 1921 election, leading to the fascists gaining 35 seats in parliament
when was the Fasci di Combattimento founded and where?
(combat group) was founded on 23 March 1919 in Milan
how well-attended was the founding event of the fasci di combattimento?
it was not well attended, with only 118 dissident socialists, war veterans and futurists present
how did Mussolini initially view fascism?
he did not see fascism as a set doctrine and prioritised action over theory, with the movement’s ideology being unclear in the beginning
what were the main policies in the 1919 fascist programme?
republicanism
decentralisation
female suffrage
anti-clericalism (inc. confiscation of Church property)
nationalisation of the arms industry
anti-imperialism
8-hour working week
education for all
abolition of compulsory military service
control and taxation of private wealth
supporting national strength and glory
why did Mussolini’s party not antagonise potential followers with a clear ideology?
the lack of a clear ideology allowed the party to appeal to various social classes, as people could agree with certain aspects of the programme without feeling alienated
what negative issues did Mussolini’s party emphasize to attract political support?
the growing threat of socialism
the weakness of the Italian political system and democracy
the failure to maintain law and order
the Treaty of Versailles and mutilated victory
what was the outcome of the Nov. 1919 election for the fascists?
they failed.
Mussolini was not elected to the Chamber of Deputies and the fascists did not win any seats in parlt.
how many active supporters did Mussolini’s movement have by the end of 1919?
no more than 4,000 active supporters
how did Mussolini’s movement grow after the 1919 election failure?
he exploited conservative fears of the ‘socialist threat’, which helped the movement to grow exponentially
from where did the Italian fascist movement initially gain the most support?
urban areas and former servicemen
how did fascism spread from urban to rural areas in 1921?
from early 1921 onwards, the movement of fascism spread from northern cities and towns to rural areas, resulting in further support for the fascists
what actions did the squadrismo engage in?
invaded villages carrying firearms and cudgels
beat up union leaders and socialists, ransacked their headquarters
engaged in strike-breaing and forced unions to disband
gained support by instilling fear of socialism
intimidated voters during elections and organised tax strikes in socialist controlled towns
the police and Carabinieri saw them as a tool to regain contrl and as a part of the forces of order
why did the wealthier peasant farmers support the fascists?
they feared socialists would take away the land they had recently purchased
what groups supported Mussolini’s fascist movement and why?
wealthier peasant farmers: feared losing their land to socialism
landowners: local leaders in rural areas
clerical workers and shopkeepers: supported the fascists for political and economic reasons
smaller-scale industrialists: angered by high taxation, the post-war economy, and feared socialism
young italians and students: against corrupt liberal system
older people : against parliamentary system and as believed it was unable to provide stability
who was Italo Balbo and what were his key contributions?
views on WW1: interventionist, joined army as soon as Italy entered the war
political views: republican, but hated socialists
early involvement in PNF: joined in 1921, became secretary of the Ferrara fascist group, orgaised squadristi, participated in March on Rome
who was Roberto Farinacci and what was his role in the Fascist movement?
views on WW1: interventionist
political views: xenophobic, antisemitic, violent
roles in PNF: secretary of party in 1925, supervised purge of the party. After being removed from power, he joined the Grand Council of Fascism in 1935 and enforced antisemitic laws in 1938
how did Mussolini use the squadristi to his advantage?
he presented himself as the undisputed leader of the movement and took credit for the actions of the squadristi, portraying himself as a moderate statesman who could control them and protect Italy from socialism
what was Mussolini’s dual policy in 1921?
he aimed to maintain his support among radical urban followers while attracting more establishment figures by presenting a more ‘respectable’ image.
he tried to balance supporting the violence of the Ras and squadristi while also becoming a respectable politician
how did Mussolini’s political stance chage by 1921?
Mussolini’s movement moved away from its left-wing roots toward a more conservative or right-wing stance. radical policies such as republicanism, anti-clericalism, and the demand for female sufrage were dropped
what was the pact of pacification proposed by Mussolini in 1921?
it aimed to create a peace agreement between fascists and socialist trade unions. it was intended to present Mussolini as a peacemaker
what was the outcome of the pact of pacification and Mussolini’s role in it?
the pact failed, but Mussolini survived politically by abandoning it when it did not work. there was no clear alternative leader at the time
what was the significance of the foundation of the National Fascist Party (PNF) in October 1921?
it provided improved coordination for the fascist movement and gave Mussolini greater control over it, helping to solidify his leadership
what were the key elements of Mussolini’s New Programme?
nationalist policies: limited citizen freedoms in relation to national needs, obligatory military service, and expansion of Italy’s influence in the Mediterranean
socialist policies: an 8-hour working day (with exceptions for agricultural and industrial needs), taxes proportional to income without forcible confiscations, and no references to confiscating the Catholic Church’s property
how did Mussolini try to appeal to middle classes and conservatives from 1921-22?
he declared his opposition to divorce, which aligned with the Popolari party and weakened or removed earlier raical fascist demands for economic and social reform. This helped him gain support from middle classes and conservatives
what was Mussolini’s key method of gaining support?
his continual exploitation of middle- and upper-class fears of a socialist revolution
what was Mussolini’s key supporters by 1922?
civil servants
shopkeepers
artisans
small merchants
small business owners
teachers
landowners
students from Italian universities
what was Mussolini’s great skill ?
to exploit the fear of the middle and upper classes during the Biennio Rosso in 1919-20 and move fascism to the right, which attracted support from the civil service, and respected bourgeois families
why did the petty bourgeoisie start supporting fascism?
they felt a sense of collective insecurity, and were prone to turn to radical groups, outside traditional parties
many were ex-soldiers proud of the military victory but who felt Italy had received a mutilated victory
why did the agrari (large landowners) support fascism?
they welcomed and were prepared to finance any movement that would resist the socialists
what was the impact of agrarian support?
it made fascism a mass movement
why did students and youths start supporting fascism?
they were eager for adventure and actions, and embittered about the rising wages of unpatriotic workers and their own lack of prospects
why did workers join fascist syndicates?
to gain employment, driven principally by a need to earn money. some workers disliked the violence of socialist trade unions and were drawn to the fascist’s movement’s promises of fair wages, prices, and land for peasants
how did Mussolini’s movemet evolve in terms of support and ideology by 1922?
Initially an urban movement supported by WW1 veterans, it grew as landowners and industrialists feared socialism and supported him.
the establishment of the PNF and the adoption of a more conservative political programme helped broaden support among conservatives, allowing Mussolini to secure backing from powerful groups by 1922
