A Level History Excel Paper 2 Italy - The Rise of Mussolini
and Creation of Fascist Dictatorship Questions with Answers
What was the Fascia di Combattimento (Combat Group)? - correct answers - Founded by
former Socialist journalist Mussolini on 23 March 1919 as new pol. group
- not well attended with 118 Socialist objectors, war veterans and Futurists
◘ Min wage, 8 hr working day, education for all
◘ Nationalization of arms industry and abolition of conscription
◘ control and taxation of priv. wealth
- Designed to attract support from all groups
Fascia Italian di Combattimento group in elections - correct answers - Fail to gain seats in 1919
with only 5000/275000 votes in their power base Milan
- Only had 4000 active support by end of 1919
What was the Squadrismo? - correct answers - Agricola. employees call for help vs. Soc. and
Cath. unions
- Fascists organized into squads (squadrisiti), work black shirts to identify themselves
- Socialists key target of their violence, invade villages with firearms and clubs beating union
leaders and ransacking headquarters
- Strike breaking, forcing laborer unions to disband and gained support by instilling Sock fear
- Intimidation voters during elections and organized tax strikes
What support did the Squadrismo have? - correct answers - Small scale industrialists mad at
increase of tax
- Attractive to younger Italians due to alternative of corrupt Liberals, 1921 10% of movement
was students
- Older gen. also attracted due to pol. instability
What role did Mussolini play in regards to the squarest? - correct answers - Put himself forward
as undisputed leader of movement, took credit for squarest actions in protecting Italy
- Local Fascist leaders, such as Raps (led squads), didn't want to surrender independence, had
own power bases M couldn't control and had more radical views
- Il Pool d'Italia (newspaper) to publicize fasc. activities
- W/ Muss as only leader, movement presented as powerful, stable and national, presented
himself as only person who could control squarest appealing to radicals and trade. elites
What was the pact of pacification? - correct answers - July 1921 M proposes this between
fascists and so trade unions as conservative support didn't want violence to go too far
- Made Me look like peacemaker, though it failed as Fas. leaders rejected it/resigned and
looked for other leaders such as DA
, - No clear alternative leader meant M survived as leader upon abandoning pact
- Squadrismo continues and M finds other ways to achieve pol legitimacy and respectability
What was the PNF? - correct answers - National Fascist Party formed Oct 1921 providing
fascism with improved coordination, giving M greater control over movement
- Local branches set up, 'respectable' recruits attracted and membership dues collected
- Ensured organisation and control by men from Milan base who were loyal to M
- Able to legit. take part in politics. Negotiations with other politicians.
- Memo. goes from 200,000 in 1921 to 300,000 in 1922
What was the 'New Programmed'? - correct answers - 8 hr working day w/exception for agro
and industrial needs
- Citizen freedoms limited in relation to needs of nation
- Taxes proportional to income no forcible confiscations
- Conscription
- Expansion of influence in Mediterranean
- M attempts to win Catha support in Nov 1921 by declaring opposition to divorce
- Knew to gain MC and conservative appeal, so his speeches were always vague without
specifics
What was the nature of fascist support 1922? - correct answers - shopkeepers, small bus
owners, teachers, landowners and students
- Militant movement that appealed to students as well as conservative parents
What were fascist syndicates? - correct answers - Workers had to join them to gain
employment as so and catch trade unions were broken up
-Some out of necessity of money, others attracted to Fascism as they disliked violence of
socialist trade union vs. workers who refused to cooperate
- Policies such as fair wages and prices also attracted them
How did government instability lead to a rise in fascist support? - correct answers - Post war lib
got unable to deal with eco and social issues leading to them being viewed as weak
- Parties that could have worked together to form anti-Fascist alliance refused to do so
- 1919 to 22 saw 5 successive governments collapse
What happened with the general strike in July 1922? - correct answers - Socialists decide to call
strike which provides fascists excuse to openly attacking them
- Strike collapses after one day due to lack of support
- August fascist’s burn down Avanti! buildings and take over running of trains to break transport
workers strike
- Fascists take credit for end of strike
- M appears as strong leader who takes decisive action
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