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MUSSOLINI'S CONSOLIDATION OF POWER, Silencing another potentially…
MUSSOLINI'S CONSOLIDATION OF POWER
Threat: Matteotti Crisis
Disappeared on June 10th 1924, found dead on August 18th. Threat: nearly costed Mussolini his political career because he appeared unable to control the Fascists
Many thought Mussolini was personally responsible
Action:
compromise and normality
Critics such as Rossi lost their post
Mussolini gave up his post as interior minister
Decree to have the Fascist Militia amalgamated with the army, army officers replacing squadristi leaders
promised to introduce new electoral arrangements as Liberals wanted to
He was hinting that another general election was to take place to please moderate government supporters
this led to chamber being outnumbered and fragmented and unable to work together
Continued to normalize the conduct of politics giving nationalist key posts, brining liberals into his government
confrontation with extremists
Accepted responsibility for the crisis: showing
ras
he did not want to abandon them in pursuit of agreement with parliamentary politicians
Rossi's allegations
Action: Speech January 3rd 1925
Argued that he sought constitutional paths
Lists conciliatory steps
Promised to work normal isntitutions
Accepted responsability
Consequences: Liberals supported, Pope supported Mussolini, King supported as any party was better than socialism
threat: not enough fascist representation in the chamber of deputies
action: acerbo law
fascist Giacomo Acerbo introduced a law that stated that:
An election would be conducted under the existing arrangements
The votes across the constituencies would be totaled and the party list who received more votes would receive two thirds of the seats in the chamber
Acerbo electoral system worked to Mussolini’s advantage was shown in the 1924 election as he won two thirds of the votes and therefore the seats in the parliament
Remaining third of the seats to the other parties
threat: support from the south
action: promote a better quality of life and gain support/cooperation of the old political leaders in the territory
auhtoritarian control of the south
Fascist control in the south depended on striking a deal with this group:
The fascists now command the full resources of the Italian state
The liberal leaders in the south knew that they had to work with him to have access to the state funds
Fascism progress in the south since 1922 is illustrated by the fact that the government list in the 1924 election received over 2/3 of the votes cast there
Fascism was no longer a radical movement but had embraced the traditional conservatism and corruption of the region
threat: opoosition
o Election had been marked by systematic violence and intimidation of opponents
o Terror remained a favored fascist weapon
historian John Whittam
Matteotti spoke passionately and effectively about the way in which the election had been conducted giving examples of intimidation of candidates and voters
Denounced the tactics employed by the fascist and claimed that the elections resulted in no validity
action:
One June 10th 1924, Matteotti was kidnapped and beaten to death
o His body was not found until August through political circles
o Resulted in threat to Mussolini himself
threat: institutions of the Liberal State / italian democracy
action: from 1925, Mussolini began to dismantle the institution of the Liberal State
press
Persistant newspaper was the greatest danger
Censorship was tightened
Press Law required that journalists had to be on an official register before they were allowed to work
Fascists controlled the register
Radio had been an instrument of state propaganda
news manipulation
Best popular journalist of the period
He was always available and welcoming to journalists
In 1923 he wisely obtained power to control the work of the press by decree and was able to use this to good effect in the Matteotti crisis of 1924
4 In 1923 his ill-advised seizure of Corfu was presented as a great Italian victory, thus setting a pattern for the exploitation of foreign policy triumphs in order to promote himself and his regime
First modern dictator
legge fascistissime
Passed in December 1925
Banned all opposition to political parties and non-fascist trade unions
Created a new post of head of gov
Strengthened control over the press
Set up a new secret police and special courts
Replaced elected mayors and councils with government-appointed officials
Silencing another potentially independent voice
January 26th, Mussolini was given the power to issue laws by personal decree
threat: catholic church
action: - 1926-29: agreement with the Catholic Church ensured acceptance of his regime for much of the 1930s
early relations with the church
o Mussolini recognized the influence that the church had on Italy so he wanted to show them that they had nothing to worry about
o He did so by attacking the freemasons
o In 1923 he introduced a series of measures that pleased the church
o A mutually advantageous deal could be established between him and the church
o In 1922, the popolari (catholic party) were part of his coalition government, with two leaders in the cabinet
o He dismissed the two popolari ministers and so inevitably weakened his parliamentary position, but he was prepared for this
Silencing another potentially independent voice