The Emergence of Fascism 1921-1922 Flashcards
What position were the socialists in before the May 1921 elections?
Weak
- January 1921, PSI split into PCI (radical communists) and PSI (centre-left socialists)
–> PCI = very small, not a threat
What position were the liberals in before the May 1921 elections?
weak
- June 1920, Giolitti (80 y/o) as PM; despised by nationalists for being a non-interventionalist
- liberalism was dying; hadn’t achieved anything
- trasformismo no longer worked; Italian politics was too polarised
What were the results of the May 1921 elections?
- PSI; 123 seats = highest
- PPI; 107 seats
- PCI; 15 seats
- fascists; 35 seats, 7% of vote = electoral breakthrough
–> Mussolini became a parliamentary leader
What was the fascist ‘dual policy’?
- adopted in 1921
- 2 simultaneous policies; try to win power legally, while turning a blind eye to the violence of the blackshirts in the countryside
- Mussolini publicly denounced the violence
–> to please both radical, revolutionary PNF members and more conservative, centre-wing fascists
Which radical policies were dropped by the fascists between 1921 and 1922?
(5)
- anti-clerical policies
- anti-monarchical policies
- progressive taxation
- nationalisation of business; began promoting privatisation
- female suffrage (no longer priority)
What was the Pact of Pacification?
- July 1921
- Mussolini proposed it between fascists and parliamentary PSI members + socialist trade unions
- agreed to end violence between the organisations
What were the consequences of the Pact of Pacification 1921?
- powreful ras (inc. Dino Grandi, Italo Balbo, Roberto Farinacci) angrily rejected the Pact
–> Mussolini resigned
–> d’Annunzio refused when offered Mussolini’s role = irreplaceable
–> Mussolini reinstated as leader & abandoned the Pact of Pacification
What were the real motives behind the Pact of Pacification?
- to attract new recruits; people who were previosuly unsure about fascism
- appeal to centre fascists
- make Catholics and liberals in parliament approach him with an alternative deal = failed
How did the fascists organise themselves in 1921?
PNF
- Partito Nazionale Fascista
- founded October 1921
- tried to recruit ‘respectable members’
- had local branches
- introduced membership fees
- based in Milan
Membership of the PNF statistics
- end of 1921, 200,000 members
- by 1922, 320,000 members + half million workers in fascist trade unions
Why did the PNF join other parties in coalition?
- other parties; hoped to restrain PNF, de-radicalise them
- PNF; wanted to be seen as a respectable party
What were PNF policies from the New Programme that appealed to working-class Italians?
(4)
- obligatory military service
- 8hour working day
- progressive taxation
- new economy to eliminate class divide through collaboration
How did Mussolini (himself) increase support for the PNF?
powerful speeches
- extremely charismatic, passionate, exciting
- rallied people
- mostly vague ideas
- attacks liberals and describes what he doesn’t support rather than what he does
What position were the PPI in by 1921?
weak
- ppI split into Christian democrats and modern clericals –> further split into PNF supporters/not
- many of its policies taken by the PNF = took many of its supporters too
–> Pope supported PNF by 1923
When was the PNF’S New Programme published?
November 1921
Did student support the PNF? Why?
1921, 12-13% of students were PNF members
–> tired of liberal ineffectiveness and corruption
–> fascism was a new, radical, dynamic alternative which promised to bring about a revitalised society
Why were working class Italians attracted to fascism?
(3)
- striking organised by the socialists hadn’t achieved anything
–> some peasants who worked through the strikes were assaulted
–> not paid while striking + pay went down - Fascists catered to some working class needs
- fascists promised to create a ‘greater Italy’
How did Mussolini plan for the March on Rome?
- 16th October 1922, Mussolini met with de Vecchi and Italo Balbo to plan for the march
- 24th October 1922, Mussolini held a speech at the Fascist Congress, to the squadristi, asserting that they must march on Rome to seize power
What was the reality of the March on Rome?
27th-31st October 1922
- supposed to be on the 28th Oct (Garribaldi’s march), but many supporters had not arrived
- bad weather = low turn out of people
- squads were poorly armed = not military spectacle
- faced no violence or real opposition
- Mussolini himself was not there
How did the auhtorities react to the March on Rome?
- PM Facta wanted king to proclaim martial law and use army to crush insurrection
–> King initially agreed to authorise troops to stop the march, BUT THEN refused to declare state of emergency and stop the fascists
–> Facta resigned as PM
–> King persuades Salandra be PM but Mussolini refuses to join his government
–> 29th Oct 1922, King offered Mussolini place as PM
Why did the King ultimately support the fascists/appoint Mussolini?
(5)
- Army cheifs had promised to obey the King but he feared that the soldiers would refuse to shoot at fascists and side with them
- possibly deterred by the bloodshed
- King’s cousin, the Duke of Aosta, was a fascist supporter; Mussolini had hinted that he would replace the King with his cousin
- King asked Salandra to be the PM, but he refused as Mussolini wouldn’t join his cabinet
- Salandra, Giolitti, Orlando hated each other and advised the King to appoint Mussolini instead of each other
What were the events of Mussolini becoming PM?
- 30th October 1922, Mussolini travelled from Milan to Rome on an overnight sleeper train
- 31st October 1922, Mussolini was officially sworn in as PM
–> 30,000 man fascist victory parade led by quadrumvirs, saluted the King
