IB History Mussolini

Fascist

The extreme right of the political spectrum. Extremely nationalistic. Belief that the individuals should serve the government. Racism and inequality. Total government control. Extremely anti-communist. Italy was fascist under Mussolini from 1922-1943.

Benito Mussolini

Joined Fascist Party in 1919 and became prime minister in October 1922. Tried to bring together all separate right-wing groups in March 1919 with the Fascio di Combattimiento. Asserted control over the squadristi at the end of 1920 and stressed the need for violence to prevent a Bolshevik-style revolution. Strengthened the Fasci di Combattimiento and reformed it into the National Fascist Party. Organized the March on Rome in October 1922, where the king asked him to form a new government.

Fascio di Combattimiento

An organization formed by Mussolini in March 1919 to bring together right-wing groups. Was originally weak, but gained power in the biennio rosso because he offered to send action squads to help factory and land owners. In exchange, the owners gave the organization money. The squads carried out violent attacks against the left. The organization was reformed into the National Fascist Party in 1921.

Italian Socialist Party

The Italian Socialist Party called for an overthrow of the liberal state to establish a socialist republic in 1917 after being inspired by the Russian Bolshevik revolution. They were stronger in rhetoric than action.

Fascist Programme

Published in June 1919, combining demands of both the left and right wing, which were held together by a strong hatred of a liberal state. Declared the political stance of the Fascio di Combattimiento. Mussolini dropped the more radical aspects of the Programme 2-3 years later, angering the Roman Catholic Church and the upper and middle classes.

March on Rome

An insurrection in October 1922. Facists gained control of many towns. After they had local control, the ras urged Mussolini to take national control. 40,000 militia marched on Rome. The government declared an emergency but the king refused to authorize martial law. The prime minister resigned and the king asked Mussolini to step into power.

Ras

Local fascist leaders who led Mussolini's action squads. They urged Mussolini to take national power in the March on Rome in October 1922 after they already had local power.

Squadristi

Mussolini's armed action squads who attacked the enemies of Fascists (including Roman Catholics, socialists, communists, and trade unionists). They were composed mainly of middle-class students and non-commissioned officers. They were effective in suppressing left-wing action.

Alberto de Stefani

The finance minister that Mussolini appointed. He was liberal. He was appointed to increase support among the conservative elites. His policies (reducing government control on trade, less taxes) gained him support from industrialists.

Catholic PPI

(PPI stands for Italian People's Party, who opposed the Italisn Socialist Party) A member of the Italian coalition government. Mussolini tried to weaken their role by gaining support of the catholic hierarchy- to do so he made religious education mandatory and banned contraception. The Pope gave Mussolini his support and told his followers to do so also. Mussolini fired all the PPI ministers from the government in April 1923 and forced their leader to resign in June 1923. They had lost their importance.

Acerbo Law

Acerbo, the secretary of state, outlined a new law which gave 2/3 the seats of parliament to the party which won 25% of the votes cast. Mussolini pressured parliament to pass this law in July 1923 through intimidation. Mussolini now needed to be sure that his party won the most votes in the next election- he was helped with this in the Corfu Incident.

Corfu Incident

An Italian general was killed in August 1923 in Greece. Mussolini demanded that Greece formally apologize and pay reparations. Greece refused, so Mussolini invaded Corfu, Greece. This increased Mussolini's power as he was now seen as a national hero. This helped him get more votes for the next election. The reparations were paid, but a formal apology was not.

Ceka

A secret gang of thugs set up by Mussolini in January 1924. They terrorized anti-fascists and killed over 100 of them. Characteristic of a totalitarian regime- opression of opposition.

Giacomo Matteotti/ Matteotti Crisis

A socialist leader who strongly condemned the fascist violence which occured during the election and said the results were a fraud. He was killed in Rome in June 1924. Many newspapers blamed Mussolini and many opposition deputies boycotted parliament in protest. They wanted the king to dismiss Mussolini, but the king said the boycotters were being unconstitutional. (one condition that led to his rise)

Roberto Farinacci

The appointed party secretary in February 1925. He advocated violence against socialists and communists and purged the PNF of people who he felt weren't loyal enough to Mussolini. Supressed the opposition.

OVRA

A secret police force under state control which supressed political opponents made in 1927. Supressed the opposition.

Chigi Palace Pact

Signed December 1923. Industrialists forced to listen to the Confederation of Fascist Syndicates, but they could keep their own organizations. Even with the pact, employers still did not help their workers, leading to strikes in 1925.

Fascist Grand Council

Formed in 1922. The supreme decision-making body in the fascist party. For the May 1928 elections, they made a list of 400 cantidates approved by employers and employees. People could only choose to vote yes or no for the entire list. The people who voted no were harassed. Helped Mussolini secure electoral victory.

Il Duce

Soon after 1926, Mussolini insisted on being called "Il Duce," meaning "The Leader." The Catholic Church backed Il Duce a few years later. Cult of personality.

National Council of Corporations

Set up by Bottai in March 1930. It was a state-owned branch which represented the 7 largest corporations. More corporations joined later.

Autarchy

Self-sufficiency. Mussolini's goal for Italy was to have autarchy in food and raw materials and to be a rich and great power.

Battle for Birth

Launched in 1927. Goal: increase population from 40 million to 60 million by 1950 to create large base for army. Failed because birth rate actually dropped in 1930s.

Battle for Grain

Launched in 1925. Goal: Export more cereals to reduce foreign imports. More land made available by ploughing up pasture land. More mechanized farming methods used. Doubled cereal production, but then Italy had to import non-cereals, like cattle and sheep.

Battle for Land

Launched in 1926. Goal: Increase amount of farmland by draining marshes/swamps, clearing woodlands. Doing these activities created jobs, and more jobs were created by the new land that opened up. Not successful as little land was reclaimed. Led to decline in exports, thus increase in unemployment, causing recession.

Lateran Accords

1929. The Pope officially recognized the Fascist state and in return got sovereignty over Vatican City. Mussolini made Roman Catholocism the official religion and made religious education mandatory. The papacy agreed not to join political parties, but the Pope backed Il Duce.

Right-wing

The side of the political spectrum where fascism falls. Anti-communist, liberal. Very conservative.

Spanish Civil War

In early 1936, Italy told Hitler they would not object to a German-Austrian union. They also withdrew from the League of Nations. Mussolini agreed to help Hitler in the Spanish Civil War in July 1936 on the side of Franco to overthrow the democratic government. Demonstrated the pro-Germany shift in Italian foreign policy.

Youth Groups

Youths were separated by age and gender. A way to indoctrine young people to gain support for the party. Brainwashed by propaganda. Made compulsory in 1937. Everyone had to swear loyalty to Mussolini. Not very effective- 40% evaded membership, membership not enforced in Catholic/private schools.

Abyssinian Crisis

Abysinnia was between two Italian colonies. Planned since 1932, Italy invaded in 1935 with poison gas and tanks, which easily took out the native Abyssinians. France and GB did not seriously object to the invasion and gave Italy 2/3 of the land. The League of Nations imposed sanctions against Italy for agression, but they were not well-enfoced, showing weakness of the League.

Corporate State

Political culture where the state acts as a mediator between corporations and employees by including them in decision making. Enforced with the 1923 Chigi Palace Pact. Industrialists and land owners gained the most from the corporate state.