To what extent was the consolidation of the fascist regime in the years 1922-1929 due to
Mussolini’s mastery of propaganda? (25)
During the years 1922-1929, Italy was governed by the National Fascist Party, with Mussolini
as Prime Minister. Both he and his Fascist leaders enforced authoritarian rule and
demolished any political and intellectual opposition, whilst simultaneously promoting
economic modernization, traditional Italian identity, and a reconciliation with the Catholic
Church. After becoming Prime Minister in 1922, the Fascist regime of Italy set a course to
becoming a one-party state and to integrate Fascism into all aspects of life, achieved mostly
through public manipulation. It was the communal aspiration for national identity through
propaganda that hugely consolidated the Fascist regime, both subconsciously and as means
of uniting a fragmented community via the ‘great’ Italian image.
The main, and arguably most prominent, method of consolidating Fascist ideologies within
1922-29 was the use of propaganda, as Watford states, “Culture mattered a great deal to
totalitarian governments. They paid it obsessive attention because they believed in its
power”. The most significant way of propaganda was arguably through art and architecture,
for example, the government organised 50 exhibitions a year with reduced train fares,
which undoubtedly would have ensured that art would be seen - this linking to various
fascist buildings being decorated by fascist themed murals or sculptured. Furthermore,
various art competitions were held that required artists to join the Syndicate of Professional
Artists, in which they had to profess loyalty to the regime. It was not only the amount of art
published – but the message it was portraying. Within the cult of il Duce, there was a
depiction of Mussolini as the descendant of Roman emperors, the ‘new Caesar’. Mussolini’s
fascism endlessly linked to ancient Rome and sought to exploit Italy’s glorious past as a way
to justify Fascist policies and glorify its leader, which consequently would have portrayed
Mussolini and Fascism as a superpower to foreign countries. The extraordinary use of
propaganda may have subconsciously become standard in Italian life, or even provided for a
hopeful community that had suffered from years of a fragmented society. However, other
forms of propaganda subjects such as music or literature were almost neglected, therefore
it is hard to judge the true success - on the content of the whole culture remained
autonomous. As Whitford suggests that art and architecture portrayed the message that
individualism was irrelevant and the purpose of Italians was as one as part of the leader -
the regime was heavily divided between those radical and those not, perhaps too divided to
possibly have complete totalitarian control.
Mussolini further implemented Fascist propaganda through means such as film, or radio.
This included those who were illiterate, creating a sense of community for those who didn’t
have an education. However, radios were expensive and there was a lack of control from
stations abroad such as the BBC, and many cinemas had a significant lack of propaganda
themed films due to the increasing popularity of Hollywood. With regards to newspapers,
although Mussolini did not own them, he controlled the majority of what was being
published. For example, there were no references to him having been ill, that he had to
wear glasses, or that he celebrated his birthday, which would have created a highly
powerful image.
Propaganda was undoubtedly the strongest method Mussolini had to consolidate the fascist
regime. Although it is hard to judge the amount of opposition there truly was towards
Fascist propaganda due to an ever-present fear of violent consequence, the community it
