Mussolini
- Benito Mussolini – 1883 born in the North
- Father – socialist blacksmith (working class)
- Mother – teacher (middle-class)
- 1902 – moved to Switzerland to avoid conscription (and joined the socialist movement) 1910
- 1910 – socialist newspaper editor “Avanti” in 1911
- Political philosophy – Nietzsche-ist Elitism (be selfish)
- How did Mussolini rise to power?
- 1914 – Italian nationalism surged during WW1 → most people support intervention
- Socialists against it → Mussolini initially against the war ⇒ he changed
- He could reunite all Italians living in Austrian empire = promote social revolution
- Kicked out of Socialist Party
- Mussolini turned towards revolutionary nationalism
- 1914 – formed a movement advocating for war – early fascist movement
- Denounced socialism → called for revolutionary elite to take over the government ⇒ violence with Socialist (exacerbated social, political, economic chaos during/after war)
- Mussolini joins the war → corporal → injured + ended
- Editor of newspaper of Fascists
- 1919 – reformed party of “Italian Combat Squad”
- Movement grew in ideology → opposed class discrimination + argued for unity like the Roman empire
- Fascists – new movement – traditional + revolutionary → a THIRD way
- Fascisti had formed squads of war veterans called “blackshirts” → goal to restore order on streets
- Rebranded themselves as National Fascist Party and he wins first election in Chamber of Deputies (1921)
- March on Rome
- 28-29th of October – 30k blackshirts gather in Naples and Rome ⇒ march ⇒ demand resignation of PM
- King appoints Mussolini to restore ‘law and order’
- 1922-1925: Mussolini extended his control, consolidating his power
Fascism
- Nationalist demands
- Imperial destiny, revenge on 1919
- Has to please his own supporters ⇒ through propaganda
- Dictator = has to keep his people in check
- Imperial design – creating a brand new empire (intentionalist/determinist) = blame all on Mussolini ⇒ long term things shape history
- Destiny and RIGHT to have Mediterranean region
- Restoring the glory of ancient Rome
- Treaty of central Power at WW1 – Italy was neutral until 1915
- Promised Italy territories in Istria, South Tyrol, Africa, Yugoslavia, but none went to Italy ⇒ wave a nationalism ⇒ wanted new Roman empire
- 1925: formal opposition to Fascism banned (Il Duce – one leader)
- Coercion, intimidation, secret police (censorship, secret police)
- Social reasons
- Maintaining power through fascist ideology and cult of personality → expansion would increase Italy’s prestige
- Opportunism – unprincipled, no clear plan (takes opportunities as they come, structuralist)
- Propaganda – subjected to domestic concerns, designed to strengthen Mussolini’s power & prestige (intentionalist)
- Enhance the popularity and cult of the leader
- Domestic problems ignored with good foreign policy
- Political issues → coalition gov’t inefficient, fear of Bolshevism, individuals funded paramilitaries
Foreign policy
- Did Mussolini have a foreign policy?
- Stressed that Italy should be ‘great, respected, and feared’ = the Hungary-Austrian treaty was “mutilated peace”
- Revisionist idea – wanted to change the result of the war
- But were Mussolini’s plans carefully planned?
- or , as AJP Taylor says, a vain/blundering booster without ideas or aims
- Stephen Lee – components of radicalism, domestic conditions, and international situation
- Continuation of tradition (increase influence in Mediterranean/Balkans) + gain empire
- Disillusionment (Treaty of St Germain left Italy unsatisfied + revisionist in outlook)
- Fascist vision – strengthen state through rival of heritage of the Roman Empire
- Stressed that Italy should be ‘great, respected, and feared’ = the Hungary-Austrian treaty was “mutilated peace”
- Mussolini wanted..
- Rich land
- Autarky
- Unify lands
- New lands for population
- Increase military
- Take Abyssinia (Ethiopia) – restore pride beaten in 1886
IB Wisdom 