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SECTION 2 - HOW DID MUSSOLINI SECURE THE REGIME - Coggle Diagram
SECTION 2 - HOW DID MUSSOLINI SECURE THE REGIME
CHAPTER 4 - HOW DID MUSSOLINI ESTABLISH A DICTATORSHIP
CHAPTER 4 - HOW DID MUSSOLINI ESTABLISH A DICTATORSHIP
MATTEOTI CRISIS
Matteoti was speaking against the fascists.
Mussolini was implicated in his murder as in Filiepi's car was matteoti
Large protests and strikes against Fascists
Aventine secession
- walked out of parliament, declaring true representation and expected that the King would dismiss Mussolini
Elite still believed that Fascist govt was the best
This is when the fascists suggested to Mussolini that he should set up a fascist dictatorship government
He first combined repression and made concession- tougher restrictions on press and mobilized militia. Fired murder suspects Rossi. New secret police OVRA
Testimony of Rossi - Mussolini in the murder, militia pressured him for setting dictatorship. He then announced he would set up dictatorship. 3rd JAN 1925
Problems faced by Mussolini when appointed PM
did not have absolute control. Aimed to increase that. 1923 create fascist grand council and new militia (MVSN)
Position as pm was weak and could be dismissed by king - got the kings support as he feared communism and mus was anti - communist
Lack of support in parliament-
Passed Acerbo law in July 1923
which is when a party has 25% of votes - 2/3rds of seat. used intimidation to pass law. This reduced the chance of proportional representation
Socialists were still significant - reduce that by getting support of bourgeoises, and elites. Used intimidation through ras and blackshirts.
Nov 1922 -
granted emergency powers to deal with political problems
Fascists now had a 275 deputies
Significance of Matteoti crisis
Gain control
of Party - dictatorship satisfied party members of control
Controlling press
and mobilized military reduced opposition
Admitting the murder
, to a certain extent, showed the people his
brutality
and instilled fear, so they were willing to obey
Gained
support of church
and elite and other right wings
However
Opposition parties and critics and could still be dismissed but the king did not do because he did not want to create further problems as he was quite fearful.
lost support for some time, but fear was instilled
CHAPTER 5 - WAS MUSSOLINI AN ALL POWERFUL DICTATOR
Was Mussolini an all powerful dictator?
Mussolini as a dictator
Mussolini believed that
communication
was the key to efficient policies and had a great leadership skill that would persuade the crowd. However, discussion were not part of a "Fascist Style" and was often protected from the truths. His gesturing did not produce efficient policies and action
Mussolini encouraged discord among his ministers
. He failed to train the effectively and by 1933 he dismissed some of the most able ministers like Rocco and Ferderonzi and replaced them with ministers who would only obey mussolini
Mussolini's control on so many positions and his concern for trivial matters had affected his policy making
. This showed that fascist Italy was strong on style but weak on substance. Most of the orders were meant to impress
However, when you consider how mussolini came to power and his leadership skills, you must acknowledge his political power. His talent in public speaking and ability to hold together a heterogenous movement showed his skill. He was also successful in involving different groups of people and led a potential
ROLE OF FASCIST PARTY IN ITALY
Was worried from a revolution from below as it might frighten industrialists. He needed the Ras to bring him to power but now he was looking to appeal the elite and traditional industrialists. He felt that the squads will not be able to run the state bureaucracy. From 1922 onwards, he
increased the control of the PNF
and he didn't really need the squads. They were still active by after Oct 1925, they decided to neutralize the party and appointed
Farinacci as the party secretariat.
Mussolini's control of the party
MSVN (militia mainly joined) swore an oath to the king
60,000 hostile members
FGC controlled by Mussolini
Mussolini appointed the power
Party was centralized under Farinacci
In Oct 1926
, the Duce became the permanent leader and posts were appointed not elected. Top position were given to people who he could easily control and through this he devitalized his party to gain control. He made sure that he could get into office using the party but not make it his own rival
The Fascists Grand Council might have become the key part of the Fascist Revolution
. However, this became less as he became the duce as he reorganized the party to a more authoritarian form to run the country.
The main role of the party was PROPAGANDA
The Fascist party was pretty diverse in nature
National Syndicalists
wanted to create a syndicalist structure favoring the workers
Revisionist
wanted Fascism to be fused with elite
Hardliners
consisted of the Ras
Membership
1/3rd of the people were workers and farms and after 1920s it was mainly middle class.
How far was Mussolini's repression??
MSVN
used fascists squads for intimidation and violence
Between 1922-45, there were 5000 imprisoned and 400 people had been killed legaly
Censorship
was introduced were anti - fascist propaganda was seen as treason. Hostile newspapers had to be shut down.
OVRA
used terror and persecuted a number of groups
chapter 6 - how did mussolini use propaganda to strengthen regime
Mussolini's use of Propaganda
Cult of Rome
Wanted Italy to be like the roman empire and developed building that had similar architectural styles as those to medieval rome
Mussolini liked to think of himself as Augustus, who brought his country to the front
Cult of the Duce
Media was an important aspect to create this image and to make him popular
He would like to be portrayed as vigorous, athletic and courageous.
Media
Newspapers
Introduce censorship and by 1926, opposition party was suppressed
Press agency was run by fascists
Mussolini's press office sent the "correct version of events"
Radio
Speeches were broadcasts
From 40k to 1 million radios were produced from 1927 to 1938
Cinema
Censored imported movies
Portrayed Italy as modern and technologically advanced
Dopolovaro showed cinema
LUCE & IRI
organizations
Rallies
were organized and a series of mass parades were implemented to inculcate discipline and collective identity. It was used to impress foreigners
ART
was mainly fascist tolerated art with influences from the Roman Empire
Literature and Drama
OND
formed to spread Fascist culture
Writers were free as long as they joined the Fascist Syndicates
Dopolovaro
was a state sponsored leisure program where they would organize free time activities for Italian workers and most the categories below would be sponsored by OND
AIMS
They aimed to make Italian lives more enjoyable
Focus on people in rural areas, which remained outside the control of press, radio and cinema.
This helped most people to accept the Fascist regime but they were not absorbed into it.
CHAPTER 7 - HOW SUCCESSFUL WERE MUSSOLINIS ECONOMIC POLICY
How successful were Mussolini's economic aims
Early nature of the Economic policies of Fascists Italy
Mussolini appointed De Stefani who adopted many liberal polices, reduced govt intervention and tried to stimulate investments
Public spending was reduced, balancing the budget, and taxes on war profit were reduced
Mussolini wanted major reformation of the economy as he knew it was important for the long run
1925, dismissed de stefani and introduced a industrialist
MAIN AIMS OF MUSSOLINI
Strengthen polical system
make Italy self sufficient
autarky
Italy's military and expansionist aims
Confindustria
- limited organization's representation of workers in the Fascists by abolishing independent unions.
Charter of Labor
- private enterprises most efficient and gained support from industrialists
National Confederation of Fascist Syndicates wanted to involve more workers into the organization, introduce minimum salaries, working hours and terms for employment. This was disliked by employees and industrialists.
KEY ECONOMIC BATTLES
Battle for Grain 1925
- Moderate Success
Result
cereal production increased and wheat import fell by 75% from 1925-35 making more self sufficient
However, they were not self sufficient in fertilizer, focus on wheat was at cost of other forms of agriculture
Increased import in egg and meat
cereal production decreased in war as fertilizers were restricted.
decline in variety in diet
Actions
1925
high tariffs on imported grain
grants to farmers to buy machinery
Aim
Self sufficient in cereal production
balance trade deficit
freedom from slavery of bread
Less dependent on imports
Italy seen as a major power
Battle of Marshes 1928
- Failure
Aims
Improve health by reducing malaria
Increasing jobs and land for farming
Show off to foreigners
Actions
Reclamation laws were passed and
Private owners were encouraged to cooperate in drainage schemes
Results
3 quarters of land was in north
1928-38 only 80,000 hectares
Battle of Lira 1926
Aims
Fix Lira at 90 pounds
Reduce inflation
Bring stability
Show Italy's mighty power
Actions
Banks put tight control on money supply
govt imposed 20% cut on wages
Govt devalued areas of the economy
Results
Achieved in 1927 when the set to gold standard. However, in 1936, govt was forced to devalue so can be seen as
FAILURE
KEY AREAS OF FASCIST EONOMY
Agriculture
Failed to tackle basics problems like poverty and backwardness in Southern states
Mussolini idealized the southern states as clean and pure
Tried to restrict people from moving to cities by restricting migration but this didn't help
Industries
most industries benefitted from fascist policies as there was a growth of firms
How Effective were Mussolini's policy of Self Sufficiency
Placed great stress on Autarky
Did NOT to be in a position where they had to be economically dependent on another country
First move was Battle of Grain, then the depression and the economic sanctions. these situations showed how autarky was useful
However, due to a
lack of foreign currency
Italy was not able to import raw materials
There was no coal supply, little iron
Battle of Grain cut wheat import
Needed to increase export
Continued to suffer a balance of trade deficit
Raw materials were very expensive
Effect on Great Depression
Problems
Got investments from USA and had to be returned
Farmers were unable to diversify wheat as they were hit by reduced prices of grain
Unemployment grew up to 2 million
Solutions
govt intervention through
IMI & IRI
took over industrial shares held by banks and reorganized companies to maintain production
IRI
shows pragmatic nature of regime as they did not broader policies of rationalization.
Govt helped industries by price fixing and developed the corporate structure.
Impressive and did not result in unrest
Corporativism
Organisation combining workers and employers
self governing
Represented the National Council of Corporations
It wanted to bring syndicalists ideas and older ideas of economic co-operation
Employers saw this as safeguadring their interests
Conservative nationalist ideas
How was it set up ?
Rossoni wanted to set up fascist syndicate, which promised to improve workers condition. However Mussolini did not want to threaten industrialists and so other trade unions were banned and workers had also been promised social improvements in the
Labour Chart
but they were unable to do so
Over the next decade, the Fascist had protected to the workers & employers through co-operation that led to it replacing the new parliament into a new Corporate approach
It seemed that Mussolini was not seriously concerned about this and was using mainly for propaganda purposes and did not want to alienate the economic elite.
Steps for establishing the corporate state
Rocco's laws on corporations 1926
where trade unions were banned and a new court was set up to deal with political offenses
National Council of Corporations 1926
was designed to manage business operations in foreign countries
CGL & CIL was dissolved in 1927
Charter of Labor 1927
were considered inefficient
National Confederation of Fascist Syndicates 1928
was disbanded as it grew more popular than the Fascist Party which alarmed the members. The fascist claimed that they had failed to achieve the goal of "educating the masses".
22 corporate states
had been established were they were controlled by councils who were represented the workers and employers equally
The overall aim of the Fascist was to equally represent workers and employers in national interest and this was seen as the
Third Way
How big a part did the state play in the Italian economy
Mussolini claimed that it was a Totalitarian state with full control over all aspects including the economy. So the state did play an increasing role in the economy.
Mussolini did not want to challenge the position of the economic elite. Their freedom was restricted and they did have to bend priorities but the
ownership of businesses
was not touched.
By 1930s, the govt had to intervene and so the
IRI
helped those industries who were in trouble and they controlled a high proportion of the industry
The corporate state appeared to have been interventionist but its effect on organizations was less.
The socialist trade unions had been banned and the fascist ones were weak. Therefore, employers gained control over workforce.
1935 onwards Italy was virtually involved in the war and had to supply military weapons which
distorted the economy
, increasing the budget deficit. (
2 B lira in 1934 to 28 B in 1939
)