A summary of how Mussolini became a dictator and leader of Fascist Italy. This is explored through the following:
- Stages to dictatorship
- Normalisation: How did people benefit from Fascist rule?
- Controlling the Fascist squads
- Acerbo Law 1924
- Matteotti Crisis 1924
- Establishment of a...
How did Mussolini establish his dictatorship 1922-27?
- Only 1 of 4 fascists in Cabinet
Stages to dictatorship - Only 35 fascists in the 535-member Chamber of Deputies
1. Normalisation - Fascism only won 7% voters
- Period of coalition gov’t - Previous Italian gov’ts had lasted under 2 years and
- Granting emergency powers Mussolini’s gov’t faced the same problems as those that
collapsed
2. Controlling the Fascist squads - Mussolini didn’t have a detailed programme of policies and
- Fascist Grand Council little experience of running anything
- Militia - Mussolini;s own supporters were divided between moderates
- Cheka and radicals
- Growth of the PNF
Normalisation: How did people benefit from Fascist rule?
3. Increased control Industry
- News manipulation From 1922-5:
- Improving relations with the Catholic Church - Industrial production rose 31%
- Gaining control of the South - Unemployment decreased by 72%
- 1919 = 18m days lost to strikes, 1920 = 16m days lost to
4. Constitutional change strikes, 1923 = 300,000 days lost to strikes
- Acerbo Law - M/ship of General Confederation of Labour (socialist trade
- Transformation of the electoral system union) dropped from 2.5m to 500,000
- Taxes and controls over industry were cut by De Stefani
5. April 1925 general election - Investigation into war profits dropped
- 374 gov’t seats → Mussolini gets the parliamentary majority - Telephone companies privatised and state monopoly on life
- 46 Socialist seats insurance ended
- 39 PPI seats - 19 Dec 1923 - Palazzo Chigi Accords agreed between
- 19 Communist seats Confederation of Industry and Fascist syndicates
→ Fascist unions given exclusive bargaining rights
6. Matteotti Crisis
- Compromise and normality Response:
- Control of extremists - Satisfied w/ Mussolini’s gov’t
- Introduction of an authoritarian gov’t - Appreciated the suppression of w/class agitation
Mussolini’s problems - Enjoyed the gov’ts relaxation of how firms were regulated
, How did Mussolini establish his dictatorship 1922-27?
- Knew there wouldn’t be any meaningful experimentation to Vatican
alter status quo of the regime - Italy was predominantly Catholic - Church approval would
benefit Mussolini
Agriculture - Could help Fascists gain popularity, particularly in the non-
- Destruction of the Federterra (peasant leagues) Fascist south
→ Nov 1921 - Oct 1922 - 37 strikes involving 43,000 workers - Place Mussolini in a strong position for polarising L+R wing
→ 1923 - 0 strikes elements of PPI
- Visocchi Decree 1920 abolished (regulated peasant land Mussolini’s appeasement of the Church
occupations) - Jan 1923 - Mussolini met Vatican Secretary General and
agreed to bail Church-controlled Bank of Rome from financial
→ land taken back by previous owners
scandal
→ new gov’t modified inheritance tax and eased taxes on profits
- Feb 1923 measures:
→ local Socialist administrations forced to resign and landlords → Fascists attacked freemasonry and banned its m/ship
resumed control → state grant introduced to improve clergy salaries
→ crucifix re-introduced in classrooms, courtrooms, civil service
King
offices
- Mussolini was cautious in handling the King due to army, civil
→ distribution of contraceptives and promotion of birth control
service and senate’s strong loyalty to the monarchy
- King wasn’t a threat to Mussolini → believed that Mussolini became a criminal offence
created a strong gov’t and didn’t dismiss him during → anti-clerical journals banned
Matteotti crisis → liberal proposals to tax Church property were dropped
- Mussolini remained respectful and met every week w/ the King
News manipulation
Army - Mussolini continued to edit Il Popolo d’Italia - reached record
- Welcomed the appointment of Marshall Diaz as Minister for circulation
War - Mussolini devoted large amounts of time to checking the press
- Concerns over MSVN allayed when Mussolini made them and writing to editors
swear an oath of loyalty to the King during the Matteotti crisis - Mussolini wanted to be available to journalists and sought to
- Approved of Mussolini’s attack on L-wing and active talk of charm them
foreign policy - Presented Corfu crisis 1923 as an Italian triumph
- Knew that Mussolini wanted the armed forces to expand
Controlling the Fascist squads
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anekaogden. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
