Mussolini's Rise to Power - Pt 2 Flashcards
When did Nitti resign and who replaced him?
- Nitti resigned on the 9th June 1920
- Replaced by Giovanni Giolitti
What mistakes would Giolitti make and when would the strikes end?
- Despised by Nationalists for anti-interventionist policies
- Wanted to seek compromise with workers and told banks to withdraw support from anyone not compromising
- Refused to use violence against the strikers
- 25th September 1920 strikes ended
- Seemed to have given in to workers demands
When would the PSI split and how would they split?
January 1921
- PSI would split into two with the formation of PCI
- PCI with support from Russia would be the communists (Bolsheviks)
- This split weakened the left wing movement
How would the PSI and PCI attempt to put pressure on the political system?
July 1922
- Would attempt to call a 24 hour general strike
- Most workers did not support this
- Mussolini claimed the fascists had saved them from the left
How would Giolitti try to ‘absorb’ the fascists?
- Offer them a place in his ‘National bloc’ on the ballot paper
- Mussolini announced that he would vote with the opposition
What would be the results of the 1921 election?
- 123 Socialists
- 15 Communists
- 107 PPI
- 35 Fascist Deputies
Giolitti would resign as transformismo was now obsolete
Which two people would replace Giolitti?
- First be replaced by Ivanoe Bonomi
- Then replaced by Luigi Facta
What was Mussolini’s Dual Policy?
- He needed fascist violence for strength and to placate radical, revolutionary’s in the PNF
- He also wanted to gain power through constitutional means and needed to show the middle class that they were not a violent party
- Would pursue this through September and October 1922, promised moderate conservative policies if in coalition and also encouraged attacks on Bolzano and Trent
When would Mussolini call for an end to squadristi violence and why?
July 1921
- Fear of communism fading
- Needed to gain support of middle class and industrialists who weren’t violent people
What was the Pact of Pacification and when would Mussolini sign this?
August 1921
- An agreement with socialist trade unions and PSI members to bring about political and social peace when Italy needed it
- Hoped that liberals and Catholics in parliament would come to a deal to stop him working with socialists
- Attempt to assert dominance over ras and make them follow his political direction
What would be the result of the Pact of Pacification?
- 3 ras bosses, Dino Grandi, Italo Balbo and Roberto Farinacci would condemn the pact and call for an end to it
- Mussolini would resign on the 18th August 1921, the ras were unable to function without him and realised his value
- November 1921 Mussolini would gain leadership of the organisation
What reforms would be made to the squads at the end of 1921?
- Mussolini would now encourage violence, he didn’t want the Pact of Pacification
- Squads grouped into ‘cohorts’
- Under command of ‘consuls’ who were further under zone commanders
What would be the result of Mussolini’s approval of violence at the end of 1921?
- Spring 1922 blackshirts attacked areas where socialist local councils existed
- Bonomi’s government falls in February 1922 and replaced by Facta
- Balbo leading squads through Rimini to Bertinoro destroying socialist and communist meetings
- September 1922 fascists ready to take over the capital
- Government had only attempted a strike in July
When did the fascists become the ‘de facto’ government of many provinces in Italy?
- After the squad launched attacks in Genoa, Milan, Livorno, Ancona and Bari.
- Between May and October of 1922 they became the ‘de facto’ of many provinces
How had the PNF grown in 1922?
Had grown to around 320,000 members
