🔥 FULL Essay Flashcards: “To what extent did different methods contribute to the rise to power of Hitler and Mussolini?”

What is the central argument of the essay?

While economic instability and violence were significant, the support of conservative elites was the decisive factor in Hitler and Mussolini’s rise to power.

What role did economic crises play in their rise?

They destabilized liberal regimes and enabled mass mobilisation but weren’t enough to bring either leader to power on their own.

What role did violence play in their rise?

It projected strength and intimidated opponents, but it only succeeded because elite actors and institutions tolerated or enabled it.

Why was elite support the most decisive method?

It legally facilitated both leaders’ appointments to power, without which they would have remained marginal.

What happened to unemployment in Germany between 1929 and 1932?

It rose from 2 million to over 6 million, creating widespread disillusionment with the Weimar Republic.

How did economic despair influence voters in Germany?

It made extremist parties more appealing; Nazis became the largest party in July 1932 with 230 seats.

What does historian Richard Overy say about the Depression’s impact in Germany?

“The Depression radicalized the electorate,” showing how poverty and unemployment drove support for authoritarianism.

What economic issues did Italy face after WWI?

85 billion lire war debt, savings lost to inflation, and mass unemployment from demobilised soldiers.

What was the Biennio Rosso, and how did it influence politics in Italy?

A wave of strikes and land occupations (1919–1920) that pushed landowners and industrialists to support fascism to stop socialism.

According to Michael Mann, why did middle-class Italians support Mussolini?

Fear of socialism and economic insecurity made fascism seem like a stabilising force.

Why was economic instability not enough to bring them to power?

It destabilised the system and increased fascist popularity, but legal power came through elite deals and appointments.

How did Mussolini use violence to build his movement?

His Blackshirts attacked left-wing opponents, trade unions, and socialists during the Biennio Rosso.

How did local authorities respond to fascist violence in Italy?

They often tolerated or supported it, especially landowners who feared revolution.

What was the March on Rome?

A 1922 fascist show of force that pressured King Victor Emmanuel III into appointing Mussolini as Prime Minister.

What does historian Denis Mack Smith say about Mussolini’s method of taking power?

Mussolini didn’t seize power through revolution but manipulated the threat of violence to intimidate the state.

What role did Hitler’s SA play in his rise?

They used political violence, disrupted meetings, and attacked communists, building a climate of fear and control.

How did the Reichstag Fire help Hitler’s consolidation of power?

It allowed him to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, suspending civil liberties and enabling mass arrests of political enemies.

Why was violence effective for both leaders?

Because elite institutions and the state either tolerated or enabled it, allowing fascists to silence opposition.

Why was elite support more decisive than other methods?

It enabled both Hitler and Mussolini to enter government legally, despite declining or limited popular support.

What happened to Nazi support before Hitler was appointed Chancellor?

It was declining in late 1932, yet he was still appointed in January 1933 due to elite strategy.

What role did Franz von Papen play in Hitler’s rise?

He helped orchestrate Hitler’s appointment, believing he could control him and use his popularity.

What does historian Ian Kershaw argue about Hitler’s rise?

Hitler was “helped into power” by elites who underestimated his intentions and leadership.

How many seats did fascists have in Italy’s parliament in 1921?

Only 35 seats — far from a majority, showing their rise wasn’t purely electoral.

Why didn’t King Victor Emmanuel III block Mussolini?

He refused to declare martial law during the March on Rome and instead invited Mussolini to form a government.

How did Giolitti help legitimize Mussolini’s movement?

By including fascists in the 1921 National Bloc, bringing them into mainstream politics.

What does Renzo De Felice argue about elite support for Mussolini?

Elites saw Mussolini as a necessary alternative to revolutionary socialism.

Why did elites support fascists if not out of ideological commitment?

They feared socialism and sought stability, believing fascists could deliver both.

How did elites’ miscalculations enable fascist power?

They gave Hitler and Mussolini legitimacy and legal appointments, underestimating the consequences.

What’s the final judgment on which method was most important?

While all three were important, elite support was the ultimate enabler of their rise to authoritarian power.

What would’ve happened without elite support?

Hitler and Mussolini might’ve remained fringe figures without legal or institutional power.