Life in Fascist Italy 1922-40

What was Mussolini’s aims for the Italian people?

What was Mussolini’s aims for the Italian people?

To become tough, disciplined, warlike and obedient to the Duce.

When did the Pope withdraw support for the Popolari?

1923

When were the Lateran Agreements?

1929

What tensions did the Lateran Agreements ease?

Ended the conflict between the Church and state.

What did the Lateran Agreements do?

Pope recognised the Italian state and its possession of Rome.

In return, the state recognised the Pope’s control of the Vatican City and financial compensation of £30 million.

With the Lateran Agreements, could the clergy belong to political parties?

No. Clerics could no longer be opposed to the regime.

Why and when were there disputes over Catholic youth groups?

1931

It was a rival to the ONB and had 250,000 members.

How many members did Catholic Action have in 1939?

400,000

Why did relations between the Church and state cool between 1937-8?

Mussolini grew close with Hitler and the Pope condemned the religious persecution in Germany

When did the alliance between the Church and state end?

1939. (The Pope openly said he regretted the alliance.)

Did Mussolini share Hitler’s hatred of Jews?

No.

How many Jews entered Italy as refugees from Nazi persecution?

3000

When did active persecution of Jews begin in Italy?

1939

What impact did the war in Abyssinia have for Jews?

Italians began to see themselves as superior, and a few fascists began to claim that Jews were inferior.

How did Nazi radicals influence Mussolini?

They convinced him that there was a Jewish influence behind resistance to fascism.

When was the Manifesto of Racial Scientists published? What did it claim?

July 1938.

‘The Jews do not belong to the Italian race’

When were all Jews banned from state-schools?

September 1938.

When were Jews banned from membership of the PNF?

October 1938.

When did fascist squads burn down synagogues?

1941

When were Italian Jews sent to Nazi death camps? How many were sent?

November 1943.

7500

What views did the Church and state share in relation to women?

Ban contraception and encourage women to have children.

When was the ‘battle for births’?

1927

What was the aim in the ‘battle for births’?

Increase the population from 40 million to 60 million by 1950.

What were Mussolini’s marriage loans?

Marriage loans were offered to encourage couples to have children, and with each birth part of the loan repayment was cancelled.

What were married men with at least six children exempt from?

All taxation

What happened to couples unwilling to have children?

Bachelors were increasingly taxed.

How much money did the government raise from bachelor taxes in 1939?

230 million lire

What happened to women working in the state railway?

They were sacked if appointed after 1915 (apart from war widows)

What did the quota system limit the amount of women working to in 1933?

10% of the workforce were women.

Was the ‘battle for births’ a success?

No. Marriage and birth rate did not change.

What did Mussolini’s policies towards women create?

Resentment

When was a fascist education policy introduced?

1925

When could teachers of different political views be dismissed?

1925

What did all teachers have to do in 1929?

Take an oath of loyalty to the regime.

When was it compulsory for teachers to be part of a Fascist Teachers’ Association?

1937

How was the cult of personality promoted in schools?

Sycophantic biographies were used and Mussolini’s portrait was hung next to the king’s

When was a single official textbook introduced? Why?

1936

Other textbooks were not patriotic enough.

What did the fascists claim in their history textbook?

Italy had saved Britain, USA and France from defeat in WW1.

When was the ONB set up?

1926

When did membership to the ONB become compulsory for state school children?

early 1930s.

How many members were there in the ONB by 1937?

over 7 million.

What did the ONB focus on?

Military training and fascist ideology.

Sewing, singing and childcare for girls.

What was the university youth organisation called?

GUF

When was the Dopolavoro set up?

1925

Who was the Dopolavoro set up for?

Workers

How much had Dopolavoro membership increased by form 1926-39?

300,000 to 4 million.

Did the Dopolavoro increase support for the regime?

Not really. Activities did not promote the regime and there was no propaganda.

Did Mussolini convert Italians into aggressive, warlike and obedient fascists?

No