Rise of Fascism 1919-22 Flashcards
What was the outcome of the November 1919 elections for the Liberals & Fascists?
- The elections disappointed the Fascists, winning no seats in parliament,
- and highlighted the Liberals’ unpopularity with them losing the absolute majority in the Chamber of Deputies, due to the success of the Italian Socialist Party and the Italian People’s Party
How did Nitti’s Liberal government maintain its majority?
It relied upon support from Catholic deputies.
What was the PPI and who led it?
The PPI, or Popolari, was founded in January 1919
it contained conservative catholics & catholics committed to moral & social justice
and led by Sicilian priest Don Sturzo.
What was the PPI’s stance on government involvement?
- The PPI was reluctant to play a major role in government but supported the Liberals for policy concessions
- It found it easier to agree on what it opposed rather than what it stood for
What was Nitti’s fate in June 1920?
Nitti quietly resigned and was replaced by Giovanni Giolitti, because Nitti’s lib govt was disliked by both the right & the left
What was Giolitti’s approach to coalition building?
- The majority of socialists continued to be hostile to the liberals, so Giolitti relied on support from Catholics
- Giolitti attempted to appeal to both right and left (Trasformismo)
What event occurred in September 1920 involving engineering workers?
Workers occupied factories to prevent employers from locking them out during a wage dispute
How many workers were involved in the factory occupations?
Approximately 400,000 workers from northern cities participated.
What was Giolitti’s policy during the factory occupations?
He followed a policy of neutrality, which looked like the govt had given into union demands, which angered industrialists.
What were the consequences of Giolitti’s neutrality policy?
- Employers feared revolution and denounced the Liberals for cowardice, weakening the liberals further
- Once the 8 hour working days & minimum wage were introduced, it appeared this is when the upper & middle classes may have turned to fascism
What was happening in the countryside during this period?
There were agricultural strikes and land occupations with trade unions expanding to nearly a million members e.g in Emilia, Tuscany & Po Valley
What control did Socialists have in local elections of 1920?
- Socialists controlled 26 of the country’s 69 provinces, mainly in northern and central Italy
- In Emilia, controlled 80% of local councils
What concerns did the urban middle class have regarding Socialism?
They were worried about potential local tax increases benefitting the wealthy
What began to happen by the end of 1920 in northern and central Italy?
Right-wingers started to fight back against Socialism with violence, which seemed justified in the face of revolution
What actions did frightened landowners and townsfolk take?
In Emilia & Tuscany, they turned to local Fascist groups that shared their hatred of Socialism
What was one of the first examples of Fascist violence?
- In November 1920, violence erupted during a meeting of a new Socialist council in Bologna
- OR Christmas Day 1920 Italian troops bombarded d’Annunzio’s headquarters. Within days he left Fiume without putting up any resistance
What methods were used by Fascists against Socialists?
- violence against Socialist offices
- trade unions
- the drinking of castor oil
What was the extent of violence during winter and spring 2021?
- 80 trade union offices were destroyed, with 200 dead and 800 wounded
- 100 socialist sympathisers were killed in the lead up to the election
Where were the strongholds of the Fascist squads by spring 1921?
Emilia and Tuscany were strongholds of the squadrismo
Describe Giolitti’s coalition make up
- Liberals, Populari and a handful of moderate Socialists joined this coalition
- The majority of Socialists were very hostile
What were the circumstances of the socialist advance in Ferrara & Bologna
- Workers could only gain employment through a job centre run by the Socialist Labourer’s Union
- If landowners resisted these demands, they could face disruption and may be subject to physical attack
What were the shopkeepers concerned about in the 1920 elections
- the potential competition from the spread of Socialist-sponsored co-operatives:
- designed to offer fair prices, but also allow the shop workers a say in the running of the business and a share of the profits
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Describe the first fascist demonstration of violence
- 15th April 1919
- A fascist squad of around 200-300 attacked a socialist demonstration in Milan and burned down the Milan offices of Avanti
- M had not authorised the violence in Milan, but helped him realise the power of squaristi violence
- govt made no attempt to condemn - police, army & govt would tolerate it for fears of socialist rev
What was the economic circumstances in February 1920
- economic crisis with the production of wheat at 38 million quintals compared to the 52 million pre WW1
- industrial production had also fallen by 15% from 1914 levels
