Why was Mussolini able to maintain control of Fascist Italy 1926-43

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

-Propaganda, terror/threat of terror and indoctrination

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Question 2

Propaganda

Answer 2

• Cult of Il Duce showed Mussolini as the New Julius Caesar/Superman figure Claimed he worked 20hrs a day on gov’t business and introduced the Roman salute
• Press censorship, Ministry of Press and Propaganda 1935 later named Ministry of Popular Culture (Minculpop) in 1937
• Radio - By 1932 there were 300,000 radios by 1938 there were more than 1 million, Mussolini would do speeches and promote himself on it

Question 3

Terror and threat of terror

Answer 3

OVRA, established in 1926, 5000 members which Spied on both Fascists and non-Fascists and had files on 130,000 although only 4000 were arrested and sent to prison.
Fascist Militia - 50,000 strong (blackshirts)
The Fascists set up prisons in remote places and during
The fascist violence of 1920-22 0,000 was sent there during the lifespan of the Fascist and 5,000 political prisoners
Fascists killed approx 2000 political opponents in 1920-22 but only 10 death sentences by 1940

Question 4

Education and indoctrination

Answer 4

• Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro- OND - provision of many different programmes and facilities such as sports halls, welfare for workers, radio sets, building Dopolavoro clubhouses for local communities.
• Opera Nazional Dopolavoro- was hugely popular with membership growing from 300,000 in 1926 to 2.4 million in 1935 and then 4 million Italians in 1939.
• Giovanni Gentile, Fascist minister of education, Portrait of Mussolini was hung in every classroom, every school day began with Fascist Slogans (Mussolini is always right) Children were taught unquestioning obedience and the need to always obey orders.

Question 5

Line of Argument

Answer 5

• Terror/threat was essential to the consolidation of power as they work to establish a functioning dictatorship and reduced opposition
• Propaganda was important to the reducing opposition but many people didn’t believe
• Indoctrination was fundemental to the long term of the dictatorship as the youth become Fascists