Crisis of Liberal Italy 1900-15 (Complete) Flashcards
What is the key timeline of these years?
1861- formation of independent Italy
1871- Official ‘new Italy’
1904- General Strike
1911 (Sep)- Italy invades Libya
1914 (Jun)- ‘Red Week’
1915 (May)- signing of Treaty of London
Risorgimento; who was Cavour and what was his aim?
-Prime minister of Piedmont
-Wanted independent state in Northern & Central Italy, not to include poor south
Risorgimento; Who did Cavour make a deal with and what did this result in?
-Napoleon III
-To expel Austria from some Italian-speaking lands
-Italy gained Solferino, Magenta, Lombardy & other states
-Austria kept Venetia
Risorgimento; who was Garibaldi and what did he do?
-Radical nationalist
-Popular w/ masses
-Joined peasant revolt in Sicily & Naples
Risorgimento; what were Cavour and Garibaldi’s roles in unification?
Cavour took troops to Papal States to link up & Garibaldi handed over his territory
Risorgimento; Who was the King of New Italy?
Victor Emmanuel II
Risorgimento; What fight occurred in 1866 and what did this result in?
-Italy and Prussia fight Austria
-Venetia handed to Italy
-However, Pope still rules Rome and is protected by French troops
Risorgimento; what event signified complete unification in 1871?
-Prussia wins against France, who withdraw from Rome
-Rome becomes capital
Effects of unification; why did the masses not identify with the new state?
They were not given the vote; 1871- 2% males could vote, 1882- 25% males, 1912- most adult males
Effects of unification; what caused the 1890s economic depression?
-Banca Romana; printed around 60m lire in new notes & lent large sums to leading politicians
-Giolitti had taken approx 60k lire, when avg income of Italian person was around 2000 lire p.a
Effects of unification; what caused the 1897 widespread rioting and what was the result of this?
-Poor harvest & high prices of food—> street demonstrations around country
-Socialist newspaper sellers arrested in Milan, led to widespread rioting
-Army was bought in + killed around 200 people
-Opposition simply went underground & the Liberal government lost a lot of support
Effects of unification; why were governments weak?
-MPs formed governments by competing for support w/ other deputies, often done via corrupt practices; meaning frequent change as allegiances changed
-Average length of government was 1.8 years
-Unification was dominated by elite so weren’t committed to social reform
Effects of unification; what happened as a result of the poor south not being planned to be included in government?
It was neglected
Effects of unification; what did the Pope ensure and why?
Ensured Catholics would not be in the new state as he was hostile to it
Effects of unification; what were the results of the large debts built up from unification?
- High taxes imposed
- No money for social reform
Effects of unification; why did Italy have to rely on Prussia and France and what did this result in?
-Had been defeated by Austria in 1866
-Gave Italy a national inferiority complex & desire to prove itself
Effects of unification; what was ‘The Terra Irredenta’ and how did this change?
-Literal meaning; “unredeemed land/italy”
-Austria still controlled some Italian lands (irredenta)
-Originally focused on land w/ Italian speaking population in Austrian empire
-Later became term to designate other surrounding foreign territories which Italy believed it had a claim to
Effects of unification; what did the neglect of social reform and growth of the country lead to?
Developments of socialism, nationalism, Catholicism
Problems of Liberal Italy- socialism; where and why did socialism develop?
-North of Italy
-Due to development in industry, trade unions & organisations
Problems of Liberal Italy- socialism; what was the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGL) and its aim?
-A syndicalist, industrial wing
-Wanted unions to organise strikes & overthrow system
Problems of Liberal Italy- socialism; what was the PSI (Italian Socialist Party) and its aims?
-Radical socialist group formed in 1895
-Wanted to achieve total socialist state
-Wanted to fight women’s rights & 8 hour working day
Problems of Liberal Italy- socialism; how influential were the PSI? ( + stats)
-Won 20% of pre-WW1 election vote
-Had 27,000 members in 1897
-Ran its own newspaper, Avanti! (‘Forward’)
Problems of Liberal Italy- socialism; why did the socialists not believe in war?
Thought it would do nothing but harm the working class, who would be the ones fighting
Problems of Liberal Italy- socialism; how and when was the first decided attempt at a single, united socialist party?
-1891; Lawyer named Turati organised Italian Workers’ Congress in Milan
Problems of Liberal Italy- nationalism; who were the nationalists made up of and what was their aim?
-Painters, journalists, poets
-Wanted a more vigorous authoritarian state
Problems of Liberal Italy- nationalism; who were the Futurists and their aims?
-Group of people against Liberal view; strong supporters of nationalism, wanted to build empire promoting violence, action, conflict
-Wanted radical change & war
Problems of Liberal Italy- nationalism; what did Crispi want to do to Italy?
Make it a great power
Problems of Liberal Italy- nationalism; what was the Triple Alliance?
-Signed in 1882 between Germany, Austria & Italy
-Opposed the Triple Entente
Problems of Liberal Italy- Catholicism; how did the Pope’s role change after unification?
-Pre-unification pope had control over much of central Italy; Papal States
-Post-unification, he was left w/ only control of the Vatican
Problems of Liberal Italy- Catholicism; how did the Pope influence politics?
-Ordered Catholics to shun politics & elections; millions obeyed so left whole generation ignorant to politics
-Pope banned Catholics from involvement in politics in 1871
-1890s; ban lifted due to socialist threat
-1909; Pope permitted Catholics to have full involvement in politics
-Always feared a Catholic party as leader could rival his influence
North/South divide; what were the problems in the south?
-V poor, 0.1% (Agrari- land owner) owned 50% land (only land suitable for farming so had control over masses (latifundia- large estate often worked on by peasants)
-4/5 illiterate
-Disease & early death common
-People starting to rebel, eg 1894 fasci rioted so badly Sicily put under military siege (40,000 deployed)
-Southern trad silk industry wiped out by more efficient North manufacturers
-Roads & train lines never put in, in attempt to prevent radical left from spreading to south
-Mass deforestation 1800s; malaria crisis
North/South divide; to what extent was the north prosperous?
-Had some iron & steel concerns, but development was hindered by lack of coal & iron ore
-Appeared prosperous
-With industry, came slums
-Fighting over wages/working conditions meant parties, eg socialists, grew as did discontent & violence in towns + cities
-Fiat exported 4000 cars/yr in 1913
-Hydro-electric dams in Alps
-Industry towns/cities booming (Milan, Turin, Genoa)
Problems of Italy- poverty; what are the population statistics to do with farming/rural areas?
57% of population was rural, 50% farmers, 68% dependent on land for at least part of their livelihood
Problems of Italy- poverty; why were there divisions and lack of patriotism in Italy?
-Places like America promised more out of life, so many emigrated
-Before 1860, Italy was made up of 8 separate states each w/ own ruler & systems; most Italians left loyal to their region
-Mountain ranges and islands made communication difficult
-Large industrial working classes, sizeable lower-middle, powerful class of rich industrialists & bankers
Problems of Italy- poverty; what percentage of the population spoke ‘Italian’?
2% (local dialect of Tuscany)
Problems of Italy- poverty; why was agriculture not that efficient?
Agriculture methods used new machinery but productivity was much lower than other European levels
Problems of Italy; what can the politics be described as?
Corrupt & inefficient
Problems of Italy - politics; what kind of reforms did the government want to implement?
-State education (to break up Catholic influence)
-Stimulate economic development & progress
Problems of Italy - politics; what was trasformismo and the issue with it?
-MPs fought amongst each other & used bribery to get their way, forming weak coalitions which often collapsed
-No mass parties, party discipline & leading politicians made weak coalitions
-Few Italians had confidence w/ system, constant threat of rebellion
-It continued even after universal suffrage 1912
Problems of Italy - politics; what were the Liberals split up into and what were they united in distrusting of?
-The masses, who played little part in struggle for unification
-Influence of socialists, anarchists, & republicans on the left
-The catholic church on the right
-All of these opposed to new Italian state so liberals determined to keep politics under their firm control until old, internal rivalries overcome & they were secure
Problems of Italy - politics; how was the electorate restricted and what was the impact of this?
-25% adult males could vote in 1882
-Outcomes of elections favoured on the minority interests
Giolittianism; who was Giovanni Giolitti and what was his aim?
-PM of Italy 5 times between 1892-1921
-No longer wanted government to be enemy of the urban worker & rural poor
Giolittianism; what domestic reforms did Giolitti implement?
-↑ wealth & prosperity, therefore wages
-Series of social reforms where laws were created controlling female + child labour,
establishment of social insurance, & pension schemes
-Gov expenditure on public works↑& had x2 from 1900-07, part of money went to improving roads, farming, & quality of drinking water
-Taxes on food ↓
-Drug quinine supplied free of charge to areas affected by malaria
Giolittianism; how did the domestic reforms address issues of labour disputes?
-Lib govs recognised workers had right to strike but often views strikers as
potentially revolutionary mobs to be dispersed by police
-Giolitti thought gov should be neutral
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; how did the government respond to the 1904 general strike and what did this result in?
-Gov remained neutral & strike eventually collapsed
-Employers realised they could no longer hold faith in gov
Giolittianism; why did the domestic reforms end up alienating further groups?
When trying to gain more Catholic support (eg made anti-abortion laws)
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; what was the government fearful of?
Involvement of gov on the side of workers
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; what kind of government did the industrialists want and why?
-Authoritarian gov
-To resist challenges from workers
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; what were small traders and shopkeepers concerned about?
The dangers of socialism, power of business & weaknesses of gov
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; what were attempts at social reform undermined by?
Corrupt traditionalist methods
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; what was the relationship like between PSI members and Giolitti?
-Many PSI members willing to work alongside Giolitti & Catholics liked his idea of dropping divorce permitting laws & creation of more Catholic schools
-By 1911, they were part of governing coalitions in Turin, Bologna, Florence & Venice
Giolittianism- domestic reforms; how did the prospect of universal suffrage increase?
-Electorate increased; 3m to 8.5m
-Anyone who had completed military service could vote & all literate men 21+, all 30+
Giolittianism- how were the 1913 election results split?
-511 seats in chamber
-Liberal factions= 318
-Socialists= 78
Giolittianism- foreign reforms; why did Italy attack Libya in 1912?
To gain support of key groups (bowing to nationalist pressure)
Giolittianism- foreign reforms; what was the impact of the Italo-Turkish war with Libya?
-Alienated the south & socialists
-Many conscripted to a war they didn’t understand but were paying for in loss of workers & life
-1500 million lire used & 3500 dead
-Called a ‘pyrrhic’ victory; victory at large cost
Giolittianism; what occurred during the 1914 mass social unrest?
-The shooting of three demonstrators sparked riots in other cities
-Radicals seized government buildings
-“Red week”; general strike called but socialists failed to organise protests effectively. Used soldiers & frightened bourgeoisie
By the eve of WW1- positive view; what helped create a sense of Italian nationhood?
National military service & introduction of free health care
By the eve of WW1- positive view; what evidence was there that economic progress had been rapid?
-National income rise from 61 billion lire 1895 → 92 billion lire 1915
-x6 ↑ foreign trade in 50 years up to 1913
-Taxes on food ↓
-Money spent to improve roads, railways & supply of drinking water
By the eve of WW1- positive view; what did foreign policy evidence consist of?
-Italy joined triple alliance
-Successful conquest in Libya
By the eve of WW1- positive view; what political evidence was used?
-Universal male suffrage 1912
-Trasformismo; Giolitti managed to co-opt both moderate socialists & moderate catholics into his governing coalitions
By the eve of WW1- negative view; what did the Socialist criticism consist of?
-Condemned regime as cover for capitalist exploitation of Italian working class
-Wages ↓ & hours long compared w/ rest of western Europe
-Welfare benefits also ↓ in comparison
-Severe poverty widespread, wealth of country squandered on E Africa/Libya adventures
-Improvements to life of Italian worker wrung out of state too willing to use army to crush strikers & opposing political groups
-1871-1915; 5m Italians choose to emigrate to USA/S America, confirmed failure of liberalism
By the eve of WW1- negative view; what did the Nationalist criticism consist of?
-State lacked will to make Italy major force on European scene
-Vast emigration = national disgrace
-Liberalism only exacerbated class struggles
Never had instilled a ‘national spirit’, as politicians only concerned w/ themselves
By the eve of WW1- negative view; what did the Catholic criticism consist of?
-Many saw Liberals as urban educated elite w/ no interest/understanding of real Italy
-Found it hard to support regime that had willingly crushed papal interests
-Many believed liberals neglected issues of poor -Catholic peasantry (esp south); poverty remained desperate issue
-But, some saw liberalism as preferable to socialism, who’d destroy catholic influence if had power
WW1; what was Giolitti’s view on involvement?
Opposed it, thought Italy was unprepared
WW1; what were many Italians in favour of?
Neutrality, especially Socialists
WW1; what did Austria reveal to Italy?
They would never concede Trieste/Trentino, which Italy thought entitled to them due to irredentism
WW1; what occurred while debates happened with Britain and France?
Interventionists protested on the streets, included fasci & ANI (nationalist party)
WW1; what happened when Italy joined the Triple Entente?
-Italy declared war on Germany & Austria, 1915
-Treaty of London w/ Entente powers promised Italy; Tyrol, Istria, Dalmatia, etc which pleased the Nationalists
