Mussolini: From Prime Minister to Dictator, 1922-1928, Economic Policies Flashcards
Which social groups supported Mussolini?
- Middle classes
- Landowners and farmers
- Industrialists
- Nationalists
- Catholics and the Church
- The armed forces
- The King
What tools did Mussolini use to control support?
- Cult of Personality
- Tight control of media (newspaper, television, radio)
- Secret police used
- Propaganda
- Removal of opposition
How and why did Victor Emmanuel support Mussolini?
Victor Emmanuel handed over power to Mussolini in 1922, because he needed him to secure his own position
Why did Mussolini need the support of Victor Emmanuel?
Mussolini needed the support of Victor Emmanuel to ensure the armed forces would support him
How long was it until Victor Emmanuel stood up to Mussolini?
It was not until 1943 that Emmanuel stood up to Mussolini, returning to Parliament those powers which Mussolini had taken from them
Why did the armed forces support Mussolini?
The armed forces supported Mussolini’s aim to restore national greatness and pursue an active, aggressive foreign policy
How did the armed forces view Mussolini’s decision to assume the position of War Minister in 1925?
They supported his decision to become War Minister in 1925
Which Mussolini policies particularly pleased the armed forces?
Mussolini’s:
- Attacks on left-wing dissidents
- Strong line on law and order
- Abandonment of reducing the size of the army
were all very popular with the armed forces
Which military successes raised the profile of the armed forces in Italian society?
Abyssinia, Vittorrio Veneto, other conquests in Africa
Why did industrialists support Mussolini?
Industrialists (like Pirelli and Olivetti) were pleased by the Fascist strike-breaking activities and their opposition to trade unions
Who else supported Fascist attacks on left wing groups?
Police officers, landlords and middle class business people all welcomed Fascist attacks on left wing groups
Why did many liberal politicians back the move to grant Mussolini emergency powers?
Many liberal politicians preferred a fascist government to a full blown socialist regime, and so backed the move to grant him emergency powers
Why did Mussolini have to build relations with the Catholic Church?
Mussolini had to build relations with the Catholic Church because it was a very powerful institution
What was the attitude of the new Pope Pius, elected in 1921?
Pope Pius was strongly anti-Communist, and like many church leaders, saw Fascism as a way of ensuring stability, ending violence and protecting Christian values
What did many church leaders see Fascism as offering?
Many church leaders saw Fascism as offering resistance to left-wing groups, protecting Christian values (no divorce etc), ending violence, restoring law and order and providing stability
How did Mussolini deal with the threat of the popular Popolari Party (of Catholics)?
Mussonlini dealt with Popolari by allowing Poplari members to join his coalition, choosing to work with the Church rather than against it
What measures did Mussolini introduce which pleased the Church?
Mussolini introduced:
- Compulsory RE in schools
- Making contraception a criminal offence
- Improving clergies salaries
- Banning anti-Church journals
- Dropping proposals to take over Church property
When did the Lateran Treaties improve the relations between the Church and the State?
The Lateran Treaties restored the relationship between the Church and the State in 1929
When were the Lateran Treaties?
The Lateran Treaties were signed between Mussolini and the Catholic Church in 1929
What else did the Lateran Treaties, 1929, set up?
The Lateran Treaties in 1929 set up Vatican City as an independent state within Rome with the Pope as Head
How much did the state give the Church as compensation for land taken at reunification?
The Church was given 750 million liras as compensation for land taken at reunification
What did the Concordat do?
The Concordat made Roman Catholicism the State religion. The Pope appointed Bishops, although they had to receive the blessing of the government
How are the Lateran Treaties, 1929, regarded?
The Lateran Treaties, 1929, are regarded as one of the greatest of Mussolini’s achievements
What did Mussolini attempt to end in 1922? (PV….)
- After 1922, Mussolini aimed to end political violence and return to normal constitutional methods - he formed a government made up of largely non-fascist, right wing elements - a national government
- The National government was generally welcomed
What did Mussolini demand in a speech to the Chamber in 1922?
In 1922, Mussolini demanded powers to rule alone - emergency powers
Who were for and against Mussolini being granted emergency powers in 1922?
The Socialists and Communists opposed giving Mussolini emergency powers, but leading transformismo politicians such as Giolitti and Salandra voted in favour
How did Mussolini attempt to solve the problem of controlling the Fascist squads, 1922-23?
Mussolini created the Fascist Militia in 1923. Ex-army officers were put in charge of local units, and 200 unruly ras were expelled from the movement. The militia were put into uniform and given a high profile
Who were the Fascist Militia, created 1923, loyal to?
The Fascist Militia, created in 1923, were loyal to the Duce, not the King
Who were the personal bodyguard of Mussolini?
The cheka were the secret personal bodyguard of Mussolini, made up of Fascist thugs who terrorised all opponents
When was the Fascist Grand Council created?
The Fascist Grand Council was created in 1922
What was the purpose of the Fascist Grand Council, created in 1922?
The purpose of the Fascist Grand Council, created in 1922, was to control leading party members and therefore the party
What other factors helped Mussolini consolidate his power?
- A significant growth in Fascist Party membership, reaching 800,000 by the end of 1923
- The closing of the Nationalist Party meant many joined the Fascists, with their own military organisation the ‘Blueshirts’ merging with the Fascist Militia, created in 1923
- Control of the press was tightly regulated by Mussolini, and he took powers to control the work of the press by decree in 1923
- Violent treatment of the opposition by the Squadristi or militia
- Left wing political and union leaders were harassed by the Fascist militia and spied on by state police
Where was the Mezzogiorno?
The Mezzogiorno is Southern Italy
How did Fascism gain support in the South (the Mezzogiorno)?
The Fascists did deals with the old liberal and conservative families who controlled the region
- These families realised that they had to work with Mussolini if they were to recieve money from the fascist government in Rome
- Therefore, to make Fascism popular in the South, Mussolini encouraged it to become conservative and acceptable to influential Southern families
What was the Acerbo Law, established in 1923? ?
The Acerbo Law, 1923, was the law that stated the party that gained the most votes would gain two thirds of the seats in the Chamber
Why was the Acerbo Law, 1923, accepted?
The Acerbo Law, 1923, was generally accepted as it was generally thought that the old Italian system of proportional representation was what had caused such political instability in Liberal Italy
Which influential politicians supported the move?
- Giolitti and Salandra supported the Acerbo Law, 1923
Why did less convinced deputies accept the Acerbo Law, 1923?
Less convinced deputies accepted the Acerbo Law, 1923, as there were Fascist threats that Mussolini would assume emergency powers if it was not passed
What happened in the 1924 elections?
The Acerbo Law worked well for the Fascists in the 1924 elections - the list of government supported candidates, made up of fascists and right wing politicians received two thirds of votes
- As a result, government supporters had the majority in the Chamber
Who was Giacomo Matteoti?
Giacomo Matteoti was a Socialist member of the Chamber of Deputies who openly spoke out against the election and Fascist behaviour, giving examples of threats to electors and candidates, and said the results were not vaild
What happened to Giacomo Matteoti?
Matteoti was kidnapped and killed in 1924
Who did Angelo Rossi suggest to be deeply involved in the murder?
Angelo Rossi gave evidence suggesting Mussolini himself was deeply involved in the murder
How did members of the Chambers of deputies respond to the disappearance of Matteoti?
Members of the Chamber walked out in protest at the disappearance of Matteoti, 1924
What was the walking out called?
The Chamber deputies walking out was known as the Aventine Secession, 1924
What did the members hope to achieve with the Aventine Secession, 1924?
The deputies hoped their gesture and the suspicion surrounding Mussolini would influence Victor Emmaneul to dismiss him
What was the consequence of the Aventine Secession, 1924?
The Aventine Secession, 1924, meant that the deputies lost their voice in parliament and could no longer attack their deputies there
How did Mussolini tried to appease his critics after the Matteoti crisis?
Mussolini dismissed Rossi, gave up his post as Interior Minister, and Fascist Militia now had to swear an oath of allegiance to the King, not Mussolini
How did the ras react to Mussolini’s initial handling of the Matteoti crisis?
The ras were angered by the dismissal of leading fascists and by plans to bring the squadristi under army control. 33 ras visited Mussolini in 1924, demanding an end to his attempts to buy peace and demand that he create a fully Fascist state
How did Mussolini react in 1925 to the demands of the ras that he create a fully Fascist state, following the Matteoti crisis?
In 1925, Mussolini addressed the Chamber of Deputies, taking a strong line on how his attempts at conciliation had been rejected
How was a vote to censure Mussolini dealt with in 1925 following the Matteoti crisis?
A vote to censure Mussolini in 1925 following the Matteoti crisis was shouted down by Mussolini’s supporters
How did Mussolini survive the Matteoti crisis?
Mussolini survived the Matteoti crisis of 1924-25 because:
- He had the support of the King
- He had the support of the majority of the Chamber of Deputies
- He had the general support of the press
How did Mussolini increase his control of the Italian state in 1925?
Mussolini: - tightened press censorship
- newspapers were confiscated
- journalists had to be registered and were intimidated
- critical newspaper editors were dismissed
- the deputies who walked out in the Aventine Secession of 1924 were not permitted to return
- The Popolari declined and the Socialists were incapable of opposing Mussolini
- The Legge Fascistissime of 1925 banned all political parties and non-fascist trade unions, tightening press control and setting up a new secret police
- elected mayors were replaced with government-appointed officials, the podesta
- In 1926, Mussolini was given power to issue laws by personal decree
- The removal of Farinacci in 1926 gave Mussolini control over the party and the country
What did the Legge Fascistissime of 1925 do?
The Legge Fascistissime of 1925 banned all political parties and non-fascist trade unions, strengthened media regulation and set up a new secret police
What year is Mussolini granted the power to issue laws by personal decree?
Mussolini is granted the power to issue laws by personal decree in 1926
Who is removed in 1926, marking Mussolini’s control not just over the country, but the party?
Farinacci’s removal in 1926 marked the end of the power and illegal activities of the squadristi, confirming Mussolini’s power over the Fascist party
How did Mussolini and the Fascists control the state?
- The state controlled as much of the lives of individuals as it could
- Media was regulated
- Those who opposed the state were harassed and intimidated by secret police
- In 1926, the Special Tribunal for the Defence of the State was set up to try cases involving anti-fascist activity, run by the militia
- The government withdrew all passports and only issued them to those deemed suitable
