Mussolini and Italian Fascism: Rise to Power and Key Ideologies

Mussolini

Mussolini and Italian Fascism

Italy before Mussolini:

• Many political issues after the conclusion of the Great War:
• About half a million Italian soldiers had died in the Great War; Italy wanted compensation:
• This did not occur as they did not get all the land they felt that they were promised.
• The ToV was known as the mutilated peace.
• Few had respect for the Italian parliament.
• 5 governments had been formed between 1919 and 1922 and none succeeded.
• Divisions between those who supported the Russian revolution and those who hated socialism and communism.
  Don’t waste time
  Get Your Custom Essay on

  “Mussolini and Italian Fascism: Rise to Power and Key Ideologies”

  Get High-quality Paper

  helping students since 2016

Mussolini: the man:

• Benito Mussolini was born in 1883.
• Prior to the Great War he was a socialist journalist.

• He left the socialist party when the Great War started because he supported the war and other socialists did not.

• 1919, Mussolini organized gangs of fascio (armed squads) who would beat up their enemies on streets:
• The men in these gangs were known as fascists.
• The men in these gangs wore black shirts.
• This was because Mussolini loved parades and uniforms.

• Early in his career Mussolini kept changing his policies:
• He got rid of anything that got in the way of his search for power.

• In power:
• Mussolini encouraged other Italians to look up to him as a supernatural leader with extraordinary powers.
• He was called duce (Italian for leader).

The fascist take-over:

• Mussolini came to power in 1922:
• Followers staged a dramatic march in Rome.
• Showed how powerful they were.

• Italy was in chaos at the time:
• The king turned to Mussolini because he felt that the fascists would improve law and order and stop Italy becoming communist.
  Get quality help now

  

  Prof. Finch

  Verified

  Proficient in: History

  4.7 (346)

  “ This writer never make an mistake for me always deliver long before due date. Am telling you man this writer is absolutely the best. ”

  

  +84 relevant experts are online

  Hire writer

• Fascists had to share power with other parties at first.
• 1924 Mussolini rigged the elections:
• To strengthen his grip on power.
• In the same year the rival Socialist Party leader was murdered.

• 1925 Mussolini became dictator.

• 1926 all other parties were banned:
• Communist and socialist leaders were imprisoned or murdered.

• Propaganda:
• Used to convince the Italian public that Mussolini was an almost superhuman leader.
• That “Mussolini is always right.”

• 1928, voting laws were changed:
• Only fascist men could vote.
• The permitted candidates could only be fascist.
• Mussolini did very well.

• 1929, Mussolini did deals with the Catholic Church:
• The Church was given privileges.
• In return Mussolini made sure that the Church would not interfere with fascism.

Mussolini goes to war:

• 1930, the fascist revolution was largely over.

• 1935-6 Mussolini attacked and conquered Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia).

• 1936, he made an agreement with Hitler: Rome-Berlin Axis.
• 1940, Germany looked as though she was about to win the war:
• Mussolini wanted a share of the winnings and joined forces with Hitler.

• The war was a disaster:
• Italian troops were defeated in North Africa.
• 1943, Italy had been invaded and Mussolini overthrown by other fascists.

• Mussolini was rescued from prison by German paratroopers sent by Hitler.

• He was given the rule of part of northern Italy, but the real power lay with the Germans (last two years of the war).

• April 1945, Mussolini was captured and killed by anti-fascist fighters and his body was put on display in Milan.

Key ideas of Italian Fascism:

• Italians should have fierce national pride.

• War is good for a country. Young Italian men should always be ready to fight.
• Italy should establish an empire in Africa.
• No other political parties should be allowed to exist.
• Communism and socialism are the enemies of fascism.
• Democracy is useless. Italy needs a strong and powerful leader who can order people.

• Italian women should stay home and have as many children as possible.

• A great country should be self-sufficient this would be brought about by the government telling firms what to produce.