Dictatorships in the 1930s - Study Notes

CHAPTER 20: DICTATORSHIPS IN THE 1930s

  • Overview: The optimism for progress and democracy of the 1920s shifted into despair due to the Great Depression, leading to the rise of dictatorships across various nations.
      - The public sought security, often sacrificing freedoms and democratic principles in exchange for stable employment and food security.
      - Fascist and Nazi movements exploited these sentiments, gaining widespread success.
      - Nations resorted to raising tariffs to limit international trade, aiming for self-sufficiency and reducing interdependence.
        - Example: The United States enacted the Hawley-Smoot Tariff, which was the highest in U.S. history and restricted the entry of European products into the U.S.

WELFARE STATE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

  • Amidst rising poverty and unemployment, there was a desperate call for leadership.

DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN AND FRANCE: 1930s

  • Britain:
      - By the 1930s, British supremacy had diminished, impacted by global competition and tariffs that adversely affected exports.
      - Following World War I, England faced persistent economic depression and high unemployment, contrasting with temporary prosperity in other nations.
        - In 1921, over 2 million individuals were reliant on welfare and unemployment benefits.
      - England transitioned from strict capitalism and liberalism to a welfare state model, which included:
        - Government housing initiatives.
        - Implementation of social security programs.
        - Pensions and welfare support for the unemployed.
      - In the 1920s, government suppression of strikes occurred, employing both governmental and military forces.
      - Post-1922, the Labour Party replaced the defunct Liberal Party, and the Conservatives, aided by the Zinoviev letter, won the 1922 elections.
      - Throughout the Great Depression, the government adhered to economic nationalism and retrenchment policies under Prime Ministers Ramsey MacDonald and Stanley Baldwin, reminiscent of the American New Deal.

  • British Commonwealth Relations:
      - The British Empire expanded post-WWI, receiving mandates to govern certain territories formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, leading to various problems including engagements with
        - Ireland,
        - India,
        - Palestine,
        - Egypt.
      - Significant events include:
        - 1922: Establishment of the dominion of Ireland.
        - 1937: Full independence for Ireland.
      - Other Dominions:
        - Canada,
        - Australia,
        - New Zealand,
        - South Africa.
      - The relationship between England and its dominions was strengthened in foreign policy, aiding England's position during WWII.

  • France:
      - France’s democratic government was relatively young (established in 1870), making it vulnerable to economic downturns in comparison to Britain.
      - A radical socialist party, led by Édouard Herriot, governed from 1924-1926 with a focus on moderate social legislation, while being staunchly anti-Catholic.
      - Political climate in the 1920s:
        - Both leftist and rightist factions exhibited anti-democratic sentiments, leaning towards communism and fascism, respectively.
        - Rightist governments initially stabilized the Franc, engaged in the invasion of Germany in the Ruhr, and ushered in prosperity from 1926-1929 through industrial and tourism renewal.
      - American expatriates, part of the Lost Generation (including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald), settled in France and influenced modernist art and literature.
      - With the onset of the Great Depression, hostility towards the republic increased, and fascist and royalist movements gained traction, especially with the Action Française receiving support from industrialists.
      - 1934: A financial crisis pushed France almost towards fascism.
        - Riots initiated by fascist groups occurred in 1934, leading to a coalition response from communists, socialists, and liberals to defend the republic.
        - Collectively, they formed the Popular Front, which combated fascism and won elections in 1936.
      - Leon Blum, noted as the first Jewish Prime Minister of France, enacted significant reforms:
        - Introduction of a 40-hour workweek.
        - Paid vacations.
        - Collective bargaining rights for unions.
        - Nationalization of military and banking industries (termed the French New Deal).
      - However, the Popular Front's influence waned by 1938, leading to Daladier, a conservative, becoming Prime Minister and resulting in setbacks for labor movements.
      - Focus shifted to foreign affairs and conflicts such as the Spanish Civil War and engagement with Nazi Germany, alongside the USSR emerging as an industrial giant.

ITALIAN FASCISM: 1922-1945

  • Difference Between Dictatorship and Totalitarianism:
      - Totalitarian regimes formulate a cohesive theory and philosophy to permanently reject democracy, presenting themselves as an alternative governance model.

  • Benito Mussolini and Fascism:
      - Italy's disillusionment post-WWI stemmed from unmet promises in the London Agreement and losses incurred despite substantial military sacrifices (approx. 600,000 soldiers lost in futile battles).
      - Following strikes in 1920, proportional representation elections brought socialists to power, while fascists only secured 35 out of 500 seats.
      - Mussolini, characterized by Machiavellian pragmatism, frequently altered his political stance to gain power, portraying himself as a champion of law and order against communists and workers.
        - He garnered support from the middle class and the Catholic Church.
      - March on Rome (1922) and the Black Shirts demand for martial law culminated in Mussolini being appointed Prime Minister by the King, who refused martial law.
        - Mussolini leveraged emergency powers for one year, establishing a system where parties gaining the highest votes secured a supermajority of 2/3 of parliamentary seats in subsequent elections.
      - With the Fascists winning the next elections, they dismantled parliamentary processes, controlling the press, banning labor unions, and eliminating rights to organization and strikes.

  • Characteristics of 1920s Fascism (ILL DUCE):
      - Enforced syndicalism and a corporate parliamentary system, reminiscent of medieval guild structures.
      - Eliminated unrest and class conflict.
      - While private ownership of corporations was retained, the government dictated production outputs and operations, blending elements of both communism and capitalism.
      - Mussolini's public works enabled improvements such as reliable train schedules, often cited as conducive to his regime's effectiveness.

THE 3RD REICH

  • Details on the rise of the Third Reich are anticipated in upcoming sections.