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Important reasons for Mussolini's rise to power - Coggle Diagram
Important reasons for Mussolini's rise to power
Support of Catholic Church and Monarchy
Catholic Church
Pope Pis Xi friendly with Mussolini
Feared left-wing extremism> Fascism
Horror of Communism (Warsaw during war)
Coalition between Socialist Reformists + Catholic party could have stopped Fascist power= Pope issued a letter to Clergy to reject alliance -> dissolved Catholic parties across Europe later
No love for democracy
Bishop of Milan allowed Fascist banners in church
Mussolini November 1921
Promised to provide Vatican with material resources for schools, churches + hospitals
Publically declared Fascism: 1. Oppose dvorce 2. In agreement with Popolan that peasants deserved better deal 3. Settle 'Roman Question' -> political dispute role of Catholic Church in Italian State<- re.... claims of Pope civil + church marriage + divorce?
Monarchy
Control Mussolini?
Queen Mother Margherita was sympathetic to Fascism
Pressured by Northern industrialists-> preferred Mussolini to Giolitti given in to demands 1921 factory occupations
King Victor Emmanuel
Feared socialism/communism
Feared a Fascist coup-> place his cousin Duke of Aosta on throne <- rival monarch
Disillusioned by parliamentary government -> live love for existing liberal politicans
Weaknesses of Liberal Government
Giolitti failed to form an anti- Fascist coalition
Salandra couldn't form a government to stop the Fascists
Giolitti maintained a neautrality policy
Facta resigned during the March on Rome
Socialists didn't call a general strike
Alternative to left wind revolution
Central government in shambles-> Popolari+ Giolitti= fell out
January 1921= Socialist government split in 2 -> small communist party emerged partly financed by Moscow
Fascists controlled parts of the country rather than the government -> central government powerless in these areas
Balbo led a force of 50,000 men -> May= occupied Ferrara
September 1921= squadrists from Venice seized towns in South Tyrol (German speaking)
Transformismo- factions formed <- weak alliances
Appeal of the Fascist Party
Workers
- Fascists smashed Socialist + Catholic unions -> had to join Fascist syndicates for work. Up to 75 hour working week. Fascist promised a maixmum of 8 hours per day (execpt for agricultural + industrial requirments)
Farmers
- 'Rural soicalism' threatened their gain of recently improving their position + extending their landholdings <- 1921 Agrarian Fascism = 200,000 members
Large landowners
(Agrari)- Prepared to finance any movement that would resist the Socialists
Young people
- Eager for action + adventure -> detested boring routine of lives + many joined Fascist squads -> Angry about the increase in wages of unpatriotic workers + their own lack of prospects
Middle class
(eg shopkeepers + teachers)- Felt a sense of insecurity + prone to radical groups outisde of traditional parties -> many= ex-soldiers humiliated by not recieving their 'due' government
Dropped all radical policies
Presneted a movement + party pledged to restore Italian power + prestige -> develop economy by increasing productivity
Promised to abolish harmful state control
Re-establish strong leadership + law and order by curbing left-wing subversives
March on Rome
Appointed PM by King
Pleased radicals within the party
Socialists called a general strike called off after 1 day= 'Caporetto of Italian Socialism'<- raised spectre of a Socialist revolution -> Fascists portrayed themselves as protectors of the state
Succeeded in capturing many provincial cities
Having limited support (35 deputies + 7% of votes) -> Prime Minister