Mussolini Relataionsship with Church

Question 1

Evidence of Mussolini’s anticlerical origins

Answer 1

• His father was atheist and opposed to influence from church
• Published many articles contrasting life of Jesus with corruption of Catholic Church and published “The Cardinal’s Mistress” which portrsyed the church sexually/a place of hypocrisy and violence
• Had been angered by Pope Benedict XV’s attempt to end the war through the peace note of August 1917 (defeatism after Caporetto)
• First programme of Fasci di Combattimento 1919 had called for confiscation of church property

Question 2

Why did he change his views?

Answer 2

Clear to Mussolini that radical anticlericalism was not conductive to taking power in a strongly catholic country like Italy - therefore he dropped his anticlerical rhetoric along with anticapitalism and antimonarchism. At Fascist Congress of May 1920 he declared that catholicism could be used as a political force that would drive Italian unity. MOST FASCISTS understood dropping anticlericalism could help in their quest for power.

Question 3

What did Mussolini say in his May 1921 speech in parliament?

Answer 3

Positive view of the church - “fascism neither preaches nor practises anticlericalism… The on,y universal values that radiate from Rome are those of the Vatican”

Question 4

Who was Cardinal Achille Ratti?

Answer 4

Pope Piys XI

Question 5

What was Pope Pius XI’s view on fascism?

Answer 5

Predominantky concerned with the communist threat in Italy and believed rhat a government of National concentration was the only way in which Italy could by saved

Question 6

What policies did Mussolini institute after he became PM?

Answer 6

Religious education was reintroduced into Italian state secondary schools, crucifixes restored to public buildings and priests had increased wages. Vatican had susbatntial stake in the Bank of Rome that was in danger if collapsing - so in January 1923 he guaranteed that his government would bail out the bank. Mussolini BANNED freemasonry and anticlerical journals and dropped proposed liberal policies on taxing church property. 3 children were baptised into the catholic church and married his wife Donna Rachele in a church ceremony (married 1915 in civil ceremony)

Question 7

How did Mussolini’s relationship with Pope Pius XI pay off?

Answer 7

Helped him undermine the PPI as the Pope put a lot of support behind PNF at the expense of the traditional catholic parry - in 1923 the Poper ordered PPI leader Luigi Sturzo to resign and called on the party to support the PNF. During the Matteoti crisis he backed Mussolini believeing that PNF were still strongest option against left wing parties. This strong relationship led to the beginning of negotiations between the church and the fascist state on a final resolution to the Roman Question, which had troubled Italy since full unifcation in 1870.

Question 8

What were the Lateran Pacts?

Answer 8

11th February 1929 Mussolini and RCC signed the lateran pacts including a treaty, a financial convention and s concordat

Question 9

What did the Lateran Pacts include?

Answer 9

Solution to roman wuestion by prodividing a sovereign state of 44 heactares of land eith diplomatic rughts - state of the Vatican controlled by the Pope
Gave the Pope 750 million lire and 1000 million in state bonds as compensation for loss of territories in 1870
Catholicism was sole religion of Italy with religious education established in primary and secondary state schools and church marriages given legal validity (only civil ceremonies oreviously)
Catholic Action (youth group) was the only non-fascist youth organistion allowed to continue and its various branches together had over a million members predominantly in the North

Question 10

Were the Lateran pacts a success for Mussolini?

Answer 10

Man who had finally solved the Roman Question and gained the admiration of the Italian people as well as gaining comsiderable prestige overseas - cemented his consolidation of power
BUT DID SHOW LIMITS OF HIS DICTATORSHIP AND POSITION AS ULTIMATE UNCHALLENGED RULER OF ITALY

Question 11

I,pact of Lateran Pacts on RCC?

Answer 11

Allowed to spread infleunce further - end of separation between chruch and state ; relgiious revival in 1930s with marriages and teachings in schools

Question 12

Effects of the Lateran Pacts

Answer 12

Pope Pius called Mussolini “the man sent by providence” and the church openly endorsed the Fascist regime

Question 13

Plebiscites

Answer 13

March 1929 asked Italians whether they supported the Lateran pacts and the list of fascist candidates put forward by the Grand Council
193 again ask3d whether they agreed with the list of deputies approved by the Grand Council
SHOULD be used as a sign of a thriving democracy - in fascist Italy they were used by Mussolini as a means of claiming that he had the consent of the Peoppe + elections were never free and thus historians still debate whether the results can be used as evidence of his overwhelming popularity

Question 14

How did RCC impact plebiscites?

Answer 14

As part of Lateran pacts, the catholic church promised it would mobilise catholic cote for the fascists and Vatican said they were motivated by Mussolini’s gratitude/to show church’s support for the regime. Catholic actuon officially appealed to voters to vote yes 12TH MARCH 1929 and the Pope openly asserted in his speeches that a yes would help approve the concordat

Question 15

Stats from plebiscite

Answer 15

8.63 millioj foters with 90% of the electoral list of fasicsys approved by 98% of the vote ; Lateran oacts contributed to the Cult of Il Duce and his populariy ; REPEATED IN 1934 PLEBISCITE WITH CHURCH FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF MUSSOLINI

Question 16

Youth Organisations rift

Answer 16

Youth movement influence was a big part of both PNF and church’s attempt to wnsure loyalt of next generation of Italians - given Fascists totalitarian aim, fact that Catholic Sction had 250000 members was allowed to exist was troubling.
1931 conficlt was escalated with changes in leadership of PNF with Giovanni Giurati becoming party secretary and Scorza given responsibility for fascist youth organisations in October 1930
BOTH MEN WERE MORE HARDLINE THUS ACCUSED CATHOLICS OF A LOT

Question 17

What did Scorza and Giurati accuse catholics of?

Answer 17

Organising sport
Being led by former PPI leaders
Sanctuary for antifascist policies
Attempting to form trade unions
Police raids and violence took place against Catholic Action and they were shut down by the state - Pope Pius XI responded with a string encylical titled “Non abbiamo bisogno” (WE HAVE NO NEED - ATTACKING FASCISM). He condemned the attempt to steal chuldren from Christ and youth being entirely to state cannot be reconciled with being a catholic

Question 18

How did they overcome the problems of Youth Organisations?

Answer 18

Good relations were benefical and by summer 1931 Catholic Action reinstated but not allowed to organise sporting activities and had to confine themselves to recreational/educatuonal aspects - no former PPI members were youth leaders
Feburary 1932 Pope met Mussolini confiromg foreign policy towars cokkunism and soceital and gender values ; Catholic youth associations had 388000 members by 1939

Question 19

Other minor disagreements

Answer 19

Girls involvement in physical activties of fasict youth organisations - church worried they were indecent and did not prepare girls for maternity.
Church condemned Fascist attitude to brothels (natural part of young male culture)

Question 20

Serious tensions?

Answer 20

1938 - church became cincerned with Mussolini’s adoption of anti-semitic legislation. Fasicsts defined Judaism in biological terms and prohibited intermarriage with “pure” Italians - CONFLICTED WITH CONCORDAT AJD AUTHORITY OF CATHOLIC CHURCH TO ASSERT THAT JEWS COULD CONVERT TO CATHOLICISM THROUGH MARRIAGE.
Pope commissioned a letter against Mussolini’s racism however this unable to be published before his death on 10th February 1939. Pope Pius XII would play an exteemely controversial role during WW2 in respect to dealing with fascist Italy and Nazi Germany