The Fascist State 1925–40 Flashcards
Mussolini and the Church
Mussolini and the Church
What had Mussolini wanted to see regarding fascism? But what was wrong about his methods?
Mussolini wanted to see fascism penetrate every aspect Italian society. But he was neither systematic in his ideas nor prepared to force through policies that might make him unpopular.
What huge, influential institution was a political threat to him?
The Church
What had the first programme of the PNF called for?
The confiscation of all church property (1919) but Mussolini soon came to the realisation that fascism must compromise in order to secure support. This was particularly evident in his dealings with the Catholic Church after 1920.
Mussolini and the church: So what happened when the PNF set out their new programme in 1920?
Mussolini declared that Catholicism could be used as a political force to drive Italian unity and nationalism.
What did Mussolini publicly say in 1921?
That “fascism neither preaches nor practises anticlericalism…the only universal values that radiate from Rome are those of the Vatican.”
By the time Mussolini became PM in 1922, what had he done?
Had moved away from his early, anti-Catholic views and had realised having a good relationship with the church would strengthen the fascists’ position.
What helped Mussolini move away from his anti-Catholic views?
The death of Benedict XV. This was because his successor Pope Pius XI was predominantly concerned with the communist threat in Italy, and would therefore cooperate more with fascism.
Who was Benedict XV replaced with which helped Mussolini?
Pope Pius XI
What did Pope Pius initially see fascism as?
The antidote to the menace from the left and was happy to support Mussolini as Prime Minister.
Was Pope Pius initially happy to support Mussolini as PM?
Yes
Examples of policies Mussolini began to introduce that were favourable to the Catholic Church
- Reintroduced religious education to schools.
- Restored crucifixes to public buildings.
- The Vatican had a huge stake in the Bank of Rome and Mussolini guaranteed that his government would bail out the bank in January 1923.
- Banned freemasonry
- Banned anticlerical journals
- Tax exemption; dropped proposed policies on taxing church property.
What did Mussolini do in his personal life that favoured the Church?
- Baptised his three children in the Catholic Church.
- Married his wife in a church ceremony.
Why was allying with the Church favourable to Mussolini?
- Makes him look less radical and revolutionary.
- Removes a political threat
- Secured support for Mussolini.
How were the Church an incredibly powerful institution?
Deeply involved in many aspects of Italian life, influenced customs and morality, especially in rural areas.
What did all Mussolini’s supportive measures result in for the PPI?
Helped to undermine the PPI as the Pope had put his support behind the PNF instead of his own party.
Pius XI ordered the PPI leader, Luigi Sturzo to resign in 1923.
When did Luigi Sturzo resign?
1923
What was significant about Mussolini cooperating with the Church?
Mussolini was the first Italian leader to reach an agreement with the Catholic Church.
After three years of negotiations, what was signed on the 11th February 1929 that officially ended the conflict between church and state that had existed since 1871?
The Lateran Pacts
When were the Lateran Pacts signed?
11th February 1929
What were the Lateran Pacts?
The Lateran Pacts were a concordat between the Holy See and the kingdom of Italy signed in 1929 in the Lateran Palace, Rome.
What did the Lateran Pacts do?
- Officially ended the conflict between church and state that had existed since 1871.
- Declared the Roman question definitely and irrevocably settled.
These pacts were a huge, defining moment. Defined the relationship between the Church and Mussolini, signalling the end to the conflict since the 1870s - the Catholic Church had refused to recognised the legal and political legitimacy of unified Italy.
The 1929 Lateran Pacts contained three sections. What were they?
- The Treaty of Conciliation (27 articles) which established Vatican City as an independent state, restoring the civil sovereignty of the Pope as a monarch.
- The Financial Convention annexed to the treaty (3 articles) which compensated the Holy See for loss of the papal states.
- The Concordat (45 articles), which dealt with the Roman Catholic Church’s ecclesiastical relations with the Italian State.
What were key aspects of the Lateran treaty?
- The Pope agreed to recognise the Italian state and its possession of Rome and the old Papal states. In return, the state recognised the Pope’s control over the Vatican City (a sovereign state), part of Rome but independent from the Italian state.
- The Pope also received financial compensation of £30 million for surrendering his claim to Rome.
- Catholicism recognised as the sole religion of Italy – privileges like religious education, of a Catholic nature, would be compulsory in state schools.
- Catholic youth groups would be allowed to continue as long as they did not carry out any political activity. Catholic Action was the only non-fascist organisation allowed to continue.
- The state would pay the salaries of the clergy.
- There would be no divorce without the consent of the church.
- Concordat - church administration and religious structures would remain separate and independent from state institutions.
The Lateran Pacts: How much financial compensation did the Pope receive for surrendering his claim to Rome?
£30 million
The Lateran Pacts: What did the Pope agree to recognise?
The Italian state and its possession of Rome and the old Papal states.
In return, the state recognised the Pope’s control over the Vatican City (a sovereign state), part of Rome but independent from the Italian state.
What was the only non-fascist youth organisation recognised by the PNF?
Catholic Action
The Lateran Pacts: What did Pope receive?
Compensation for land lost during the Italian unification process.
Mussolini’s concordat with the papacy
Concordat - church administration and religious structures would remain separate and independent from state institutions.
Were the Lateran Pacts a success?
In some respects, yes.
The problems between church and state appeared to have been solved.
* The Catholic Church saw it as a success as they had extended their role and influence throughout Italian life. It led to a religious revival as the numbers of Catholic marriages and schools increased.
* Mussolini had extended his prestige in Italy and abroad as he had solved the Roman question.
However, what was bad about the Lateran Pacts for Mussolini?
Showed the limits of Mussolini’s dictatorship.
Overall, what did the Lateran Pacts represent?
A kind of unsaid power-sharing agreement between the PNF and the Church that suited both institutions.
Examples of agreement between Mussolini and the Church
- Mussolini’s personal prestige increased as a result of the Lateran Pacts and he was admired by the Italian people for bringing an end to the Roman question.
- The Lateran Pacts showed the limitations of Mussolini’s dictatorship because of his cooperation with the Catholic Church.
- The Church supported Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia in 1935.
- In February 1932 Mussolini visited the Pope and both he and Pius XI confirmed their mutual views on societal and gender values and foreign policy towards the Soviet Union and communism.
- Mussolini helped save the nearly bankrupt Bank of Rome from going in to liquidation.
- The Church openly endorsed the fascist regime – it promised that it would mobilise support for the fascists in a plebiscite called by Mussolini in 1929 – Catholic Action appealed to voters to vote ‘yes’ in support of the Lateran Pacts.
Examples of disagreement between Mussolini and the Church
- The Church sponsored Catholic Action. This provided a rival to fascism’s own youth and leisure organisations and had 250,000 members. Given fascism’s totalitarian aims this was troubling for Mussolini.
- The Catholic church were very concerned with the idea of one being completely loyal to the state- this didn’t seem to leave room for an individual to also be a Catholic.
- Catholic youth organisations grew in popularity in the 1930s and had 388,000 members by 1939.
- The church felt strong enough to assert its position and in “Non Abbiamo Bisogno” (We have no need) the Pope condemned fascism’s attempt to steal children from Christ so that they would worship the state alone (after the state had tried to close down Catholic youth organisations in 1930).
- The resistance to fascism’s totalitarian claims to control every aspect of life was also shown by Radio Vatican which broadcast alternative news and information.
- The Church did not like girls’ involvement in physical activities of the fascist youth organisations – worried it went against gender roles. Fascist attitude to prostitution was also condemned.
- In 1931, Mussolini attempted to close down Catholic Action which led to the Pope publicly criticising Mussolini (We have no need) and although a compromise was reached (Catholic Action Youth groups could stay open as long as they did not organise sport/political activity), both sides were less trusting as a result of the event
- Pope Pius XI was openly critical of Mussolini’s anti-semitic decrees which he put forward in 1938. By 1938, the Fascists defined Judaism in biological terms and prohibited intermarriage with pure Italians – but this went against the Catholic Churches right to allow Jews to convert to Catholicism.
How was Mussolini’s personal prestige increased as a result of the Lateran Pacts?
He was admired by the Italian people for bringing an end to the Roman question.
How did the Lateran Pacts show the limitations of Mussolini’s dictatorship?
Because of his cooperation with the Catholic Church.
What did the Church sponsor that was problematic for Mussolini?
Catholic Action. This provided a rival to fascism’s own youth and leisure organisations and had 250,000 members.
Given fascism’s totalitarian aims this was troubling for Mussolini.
What idea were the Catholic Church very concerned with?
The idea of one being completely loyal to the state - this didn’t seem to leave room for an individual to also be a Catholic.
What invasion did the Church support?
Mussolini’s invasion of Abyssinia in 1935.
How many members did Catholic youth organisations have by 1939?
Catholic youth organisations grew in popularity in the 1930s and had 388,000 members by 1939.
The Church felt strong enough to assert its position. In Non Abbiamo Bisogno (We have no need), what did the Pope condemn?
The Pope condemned fascism’s attempt to steal children from Christ so that they would worship the state alone (after the state had tried to close down Catholic youth organisations in 1930).
How did Radio Vatican show resistance to fascism’s totalitarian claims in controlling every aspect of life?
It broadcast alternative news and information.
In February 1932, Mussolini visited Pope Pius XI which confirmed their mutual views on what?
- Societal and gender values.
- Foreign policy towards the Soviet Union and communism.
When did Mussolini visit the Pope which confirmed some mutual views?
February 1932
How did Mussolini help save the Church?
Mussolini helped save the nearly bankrupt Bank of Rome from going in to liquidation.
How did the Church openly endorse the fascist regime?
- It promised that it would mobilise support for the fascists in a plebiscite called by Mussolini in 1929.
- Catholic Action appealed to voters to vote ‘yes’ in support of the Lateran Pacts.
What did the Church not like regarding females?
- The Church did not like girls’ involvement in physical activities of the fascist youth organisations – worried it went against gender roles.
- Fascist attitude to prostitution was also condemned.
What did Mussolini attempt to do in 1931 which angered the church?
Attempted to close down Catholic Action which led to the Pope publicly criticising Mussolini (We have no need) and although a compromise was reached (Catholic Action Youth groups could stay open as long as they did not organise sport), both sides were less trusting as a result of the event.
When did Mussolini attempt to close down Catholic Action?
1931
What was Pope Pius openly critical of?
Mussolini’s anti-semitic decrees which he put forward in 1938. By 1938, the Fascists defined Judaism in biological terms and prohibited intermarriage with pure Italians – but this went against the Catholic Churches right to allow Jews to convert to Catholicism.
THE CHURCH: Weakness of the fascist state/Mussolini
- Mussolini wanted to see fascism penetrate aspects of society, but he was not systematic in his ideas and didn’t want to force through policies that might make him unpopular.
- The Lateran Pacts showed limits of his dictatorship.
- Catholic Action existed - provided rival organisation to Mussolini.
- State tried to close down Catholic Youth groups which weakened relationship.
- Critical L’Osservatore Romano - criticised the fascist state so was a problem.
- Mussolini’s anti-semitic decrees caused a huge breakdown in relations.
Strengths of the fascist state/Mussolini
- Mussolini realised that fascism must compromise in order to secure support.
- Adapting e.g Mussolini set out New Programme in 1920 declaring Catholicism could be used as a political force.
- Mussolini introduced policies favourable to the Catholic Church - helped to undermine PPI as more support was given to the PNF.
- The Lateran Pacts - Mussolini extended prestige and solved the Roman questioned. Admired by Italian people.
Describe relationship between Mussolini and the Church from 1923-28
- Mussolini moved to improve relations with the Church - both sides gained significantly from not entering into open confrontation.
Describe relationship between Mussolini and the Church from 1929-30
- A seminal moment was the Lateran Pacts. Increased Mussolini’s popularity and strength so he’s in a far stronger position by the 1930s.
Describe relationship between Mussolini and the Church from 1931-40
- No longer needs the church in the same way he did - starts to flash with the Church.
- Greater tensions emerging.
What were the benefits of the Lateran Pacts?
Victory for Mussolini
* ended more than 60 years of conflict between Church and State.
* Vast majority of Italians supported Mussolini.
* Reduced Catholic anti-fascist activity.
* In reality, he hadn’t made that many concessions, particularly concessions that would actually affect him.
* Church no longer a threat to his political position in Italy by the 1930s.
* Brought Mussolini prestige at home and abroad.
Led the Church to outwardly support the state
* Mussolini was an effective leader and the Church saw him as an effective answer for stability. Wanted to protect catholicism from socialism.
* Church and Mussolini clearly had shared values e.g social stability and order.
How did the Church actively participate in fascism?
- Priests participated in ONB.
- Priests and state officials cooperated in certain campaigns.
- “For Pope and Duce” - unity.
- Also agreed in support for Franco and invasion of Abyssinia.
