Liberal Italy

Question 1

Italy in 1896
Domestic issues

Answer 1

Popular involvement in unification - identification with new state

Unification process dominated by elite

Differences between industrial north and agricultural south

Hostility from pope

Unification war debts - high taxes

Question 2

Italy in 1896
Foreign policy

Answer 2

Foreign armies during unification - inferiority complex

Italy’s failure to defeat Austria in 1886 left Austria holding Italian land - irredenta

Desire to colonise

Humiliation in Adowa - Italian army was defeated by the Ethiopians in March 1896

Question 3

Political problems

Answer 3

Political corruption led to frequent changes of government (29 changes of Prime minister between 1870-1922)

Socialism
27,000 members by 1897
1900 election PSI had 32 seats (>200,000 votes)

Catholicism
1904 election - Pope advises catholics to vote in elections if it would defeat socialism
Gentiolini Pact 1913 - Agreement to swing Catholic voters behind Giolitti’s coalition in the 1913 general election

Question 4

Social Problems 1896

Answer 4

Only 2.5% of Italians spoke the official Italian language
77% of the population was illiterate
§ 87% of the South were illiterate
Emigration - between 1871 and 1915 approx 5m Italians emigrated out of Italy

Question 5

Economic Problems 1896

Answer 5

High taxes - In 1900 Italians were one of the most highly taxed people

North/South Divide- intensified by industrialisation in the North

Tariff system favoured Northern industries

Lack of key resources such as coal and iron

Frequent unrest/revolt

Question 6

Industrial Growth and it’s consequence

Answer 6

Remained a largely agrarian country + furthered divide between North and South

Enabled the rise of socialsm

Led to social unrest such as red week

Question 7

Spring 1898 - Food riots

Answer 7

Food riots were due to a steep increase of wheat prices
Grain rose from 225 lira/tonne in June 1887 to 330 lira/tonne by May 1898.

May 1898 - Beva Beccaris massacre

The demonstrators against rising food prices were targeted
Govt claimed 80 dead and 450 injured, however real numbers may be up to 400 dead and 2000 wounded

Question 8

Assassination of Umberto I 1900

Answer 8

Had supported the Beva Beccaris Massacre
Assassinated by Gaetano Bresci

Question 9

Red week 1914

Answer 9

Worst outbreak of mass unrest since 1898
Shooting of three demonstrators marked riots and demonstrations
Radicals would seize control of government buildings
Thousands of soldiers were used to restore order
Socialist threat

Question 10

Giolitti’ s political ministries

Answer 10

1912 Electoral reform law

Increased franchise to all men above 30 + all men serving in armed forces + most men above 21 who were literate

Increased the size of the electorate to ~9m, about 3x what it was

Non-interference in labour disputes

Failure of this policy would be highlighted in Red Week

Question 11

Giolitti’s domestic ministries

Answer 11

1902 - Working day of women limited to 11 hours + banning the employment of children under the age of 12

1907 - weekly rest day

1910 - maternity fund - 10 lira for each birth + 30 lira from employer contributions

South - public works schemes to improve transport links, irrigation, drinking water and earthquake relief

Question 12

Giolitti’s economic ministries

Answer 12

Real wages rose by 25% between 1890 and 1913

Steel production increased from 140,000 tonnes in 1900 -> 930,000 in 1913

Iron production increased from 20,000 tonnes in 1900 -> 430,000 tonnes in 1913

Remained a largely agrarian economy

National income increased from 61bn lira in 1895 -> 92bn lira in 1915

Question 13

War in Abysinnia 1895-6

Answer 13

Complete failure

Humiliation of Adowa

Costly failure which would limit Italian foreign prestige

Scramble for Africa

Question 14

Tripoli Campaign 1911-2

Answer 14

Defeat of Turkey

Pleased Nationalists

Resentment of Libya campaign because many ordinary Italians were conscripted to fight in a war they didn’t understand - limited national identity

Higher taxation to offset war debts

Pleasing one group but alienating another

Question 15

Nationalism ~1915

Answer 15

Terre Irredenta was territory that was outside of Italy but had a significant amount of people who may be deemed ethnically Italian – Alto Adige, Trentino, Nice

Link of irredentism to nationalism - idea to “make Italy”

Demand for war to recover these

Felt like Risorgimento was uncompleted

1882 Triple Alliance had outraged nationalists - damaged the prospect of regaining irredentist lands

Question 16

Socialism ~1915

Answer 16

Large socialist threat lol

Red Week + fear of socialist revolution