Provides an overview of fascist society in the late 1930s, opposition to a fascist government, and considers how repressive Mussolini's government was. The extent of consent and control is explored through the following factors:
- population trends
- changes in education
- welfare organisations
...
How successful was Mussolini in creating a Fascist society?
- Introduced uniforms and parades to the organisations
Population trends - Provided opportunities to be involved in voluntary work and
paid employment
Employment - Effective distraction from getting involved in political issues
- Patterns of employment held continuity → avoided political discussion
- Many small shops w/ >½ million by 1930s - Organisation were imposed and organised from above →
- Growing state bureaucracy and expanding teaching profession didn’t allow the upflow of ideas, which weakened the fascist
created more m/class jobs
state
- Industrial jobs mainly in N towns and provided higher standard
- Didn’t generate genuine commitment
of living that agrarian south
- DPV had little political propaganda → no political
- Fascism did not resolve N-S divide
- Est. of nat’l electricity grid helped w/ divide but electricity cost conversion
in S 3x more than N
Changes in education
Migration patterns
- Lower standard of living in the S made many emigrate Curriculum changes
- 1920s - many migrated to the US - RE made compulsory in elementary schools from 1923 and
- After the US limited immigration, many migrated to the N secondary schools from 1929
- Some N towns doubled in size - Cult of Mussolini enhanced by:
- Attempted to introduce schemes to limit migration w/ only → portrait of Mussolini provided in all classrooms
using licences but failed → all pupils given a notebook w/ Mussolini on the cover
- Anti-migration measures illustrated the loss of freedom of → school day began w/ raising the tricolour flag and songs about
fascism but the overwhelming scale of movement counters this
their leader
- Attempted ruralisation policy - wanted peasantry to remain on
the land but failed - Single gov’t textbook introduced 1928 that covered all school
subjects
- All dialects were banned
Welfare organisations
- Military education from 1935 - history, weapons and tactics
- 1940 - nearly ½ populations was involved in at least 1
- Lessons in fascist culture introduced in primary school 1936
organisation
- Anti-Semitism taught in schools 1938
- Youth movements, student movements and leisure
organisations promoted total loyalty to the Duce and met social
Control over teachers
needs
, How successful was Mussolini in creating a Fascist society?
- Public employees that had views that weren’t compatible w/ - From 1929, youth movement was directed by Ministry of Nat’l
the state were dismissed Education - emphasis on sport, gymnastics and military drilling
- Teachers and professors took an oath of loyalty - Motto: ‘Believe, Obey, Fight’
- All teachers’ associations merged into a fascist association w/ - Aims
compulsory m/ship - Control all children in Fascist organisations
- All new teachers and professors had to be party members from - Make teachers loyal servants of the regime
1933 onwards - Indoctrinate the young to be true fascists and see life as
- 1934 - teachers had to wear fascist uniforms for official struggle that is won by the strong
occasions and were encouraged to join the ONB - Equip Italian children to serve the needs of the nation
- 1938 racial laws led to dismissal of Jewish teachers and - Prepare Italians for war
students - Develop an elite to maintain Fascism
University Rival organisations and criticism
- Generally left alone if they weren’t involved in hostile political - Organisations were compulsory and non voluntary
activity - 1931 - Church clubs weren’t permitted to organise sporting
- Many teenage students were fascist-orientated anyway and had activities
been indoctrinated from elementary - Catholic youth clubs did continue but the fascist youth
- University staff were the biggest problem in education for movement was more successful
fascists - either joined PNF as a ‘formality’ or refused - Youth movement was the regime’s most successful propaganda
- Students had to join the University Fascist Youth agent
→ able to use sports facilities - Relaxed attitude to university students did allow some criticism
→ half-price admission to entertainment of the regime
→ partial exemption from military service
Was fascist youth policy successful?
→ enhanced career prospects
For:
- Elementary school teacher were fully fascistised and ensured
Youth organisations the reinforcement of fascist teachings
- Youngsters enjoyed the official nature of the ONB
Youth clubs (ONB) - Successful in fascist indoctrination
- Fascist student unions had 8m members by late 1930s - Majority of youth did join youth clubs and accepted fascist
- Main youth organisation was the ONB (Ballila) - branches for ideals
ages 8-21 for boys and girls - Illiteracy 1921 = 27%, 1936 = 17%
- Bodies provided for children from 6 to 26 Against:
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