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Measures Mussolini took in 1925 to destroy Italian democracy - Coggle…
Measures Mussolini took in 1925 to destroy Italian democracy
Opposition Parties
Threats and action
Deputies who had walked out of the Chamber during the Aventine Secession (1924)
Physically prevented from returning
Popolari
: Catholic Party
Denied support by the Vatican, disintegrated in early 1925
Many right-wing deputies, ex-nationalists and liberals come to terms with the victorious government
Other parties (socialist groups)
Struggled a little bit, but were no effective challenge or threat to Mussolini
Leggi Fascistissime
Passed in 1925
Greatly strengthened the central government political control
Banned all opposition political parties and non-fascist trade unions
Created new post of head of government specifically for Mussolini
Strengthened control over the press
New secret police service and special courts to try political offences
In local government replaced elected majors with government-appointed officials:
podestà
(silencing another potential threat)
In January 1926, Mussolini has power to issue laws by personal decree
The Press
Threat
Persistent newspaper criticism
Action
Censorship is tightened, copies of newspapers were confiscated, owners are pressured to dismiss "unsatisfactory" editors
December 1925, Press Law: journalists had to be on an official register before they were allowed to work. This register was controlled by the Fascists
Radio, since 1922, an instrument of state propaganda
New measures give fascists virtual monopoly in the dissemination of information
Police Powers
Pressure on the opponents was organized by the police, supervised by central-government appointed local prefects
1925 intense police activity against suspected opponents of regime, later became a normal thing
Armed Forces
Minister of war dismissed
Mussolini takes on the roles of political head of the armed forces (army, navy and air force) - had no actual control over them
Taming the Fascists
Excessively violent groups (Ras) are still a disruptive influence
Roberto Farinacci (most extreme of the squadristi) appointed secretary of the Fascist Party - strange, given the circumstances
Goal was to put some discipline in them, but Farinacci failed to do so
October 1925 in Florence: encouraged the public killing of 8 members of other parties
Mussolini forced to act: Banished to the town of Cremona - end to the power and illegal activities of the squadristi
Civil Service
State bureaucracy continued to grow
Fails to weed out the unnecessary
continued to pursue civil servants who were freemasons