The Rise of Fascism in The Rise of Fascism in ItalyItaly

Fascism v. Totalitarianism: what Fascism v. Totalitarianism: what are they?are they?

Fascism: Fascism: a modern form of authoritarianisma modern form of authoritarianism a mobilizing regimea mobilizing regime Glorification of authorityGlorification of authority in its pure form, built on a in its pure form, built on a corporatist corporatist statestate

• Corpera Corpera (‘corporations) or sub-sectors of society are the (‘corporations) or sub-sectors of society are the key units of representation: e.g The Church, the army, key units of representation: e.g The Church, the army, big business, small business agriculture…big business, small business agriculture…

Totalitarianism: a form of authoritarianism which Totalitarianism: a form of authoritarianism which tries to assert a tries to assert a total total grip on societygrip on society

Eliminates any private spaceEliminates any private space May or may not have fascist traitsMay or may not have fascist traits

OriginsOriginsShort term (1918-1922) Short term (1918-1922) Italian disappointments in the peace Italian disappointments in the peace

settlements, especially failure to obtain settlements, especially failure to obtain Fiume, Dalmatian coastFiume, Dalmatian coast

Economic crisis (1919-20)Economic crisis (1919-20) D’Annunzio’s Fiume expedition (1919)D’Annunzio’s Fiume expedition (1919) Growing disorderGrowing disorder

• Wave of strikesWave of strikes• Growing Socialist strengthGrowing Socialist strength• Fear of red menaceFear of red menace

Difficulty of sustaining cabinetsDifficulty of sustaining cabinets

Longer termLonger term Class, religious, regional Class, religious, regional

divisionsdivisions Incompleteness of Italian Incompleteness of Italian

unification in 1860s, unification in 1860s, 1870s:1870s: • risorgimento risorgimento v. v.

PiedmontizationPiedmontization• Problem of the Problem of the non non

expeditexpedit decrees decrees Weak & ineffective regimeWeak & ineffective regime

• Constitutional monarchyConstitutional monarchy Dominated by Liberals, Dominated by Liberals,

politics of politics of trasformiso – trasformiso – buying majoritiiesbuying majoritiies

MussoliniMussolini Former socialistFormer socialist Breaks with his party Breaks with his party

over its failure to support over its failure to support World War IWorld War I

Demagogic speakerDemagogic speaker Leader of Leader of squadristisquadristi – –

squads of thugs, squads of thugs, blackshirtsblackshirts

Coming to powerComing to power Ongoing government crisis, Ongoing government crisis,

widespread social unrest, weak widespread social unrest, weak government during World War Igovernment during World War I

1921: fascists elected to parliament1921: fascists elected to parliament 1922: March on Rome:1922: March on Rome:

• King Victor Emmanuel II indecisiveKing Victor Emmanuel II indecisive• fearing his army unreliable, invites fearing his army unreliable, invites

Mussolini to form of governmentMussolini to form of government

The March on RomeThe March on Rome

Consolidating the regime:Consolidating the regime:Uses control of government to establish dictatorshipUses control of government to establish dictatorship Modification of electoral law (Acerbo Law)Modification of electoral law (Acerbo Law) Successive elimination of opponents Successive elimination of opponents

• Matteotti assassination (1924)Matteotti assassination (1924) Suppression of independent forcesSuppression of independent forces Opposition outlawed (1926)Opposition outlawed (1926) Nominations for parliament only by Fascist Grand Nominations for parliament only by Fascist Grand

Council (1928)Council (1928) Reorganization of state into 22 corporations Reorganization of state into 22 corporations

(1932)(1932)

Building support:Building support: Mussolini builds support by modifying Mussolini builds support by modifying

positions, accommodating key positions, accommodating key groupsgroups

Gains support of business by Gains support of business by restricting unionsrestricting unions

Gains support of Church by Gains support of Church by • abandoning anti-clerical positionsabandoning anti-clerical positions• embracing Catholicism, embracing Catholicism, • concluding Lateran pacts (1929)concluding Lateran pacts (1929)

The Fascist RegimeThe Fascist Regime Evolving typeEvolving type Glorification of nation & leaderGlorification of nation & leader Ostensible dispersion of power to Ostensible dispersion of power to

‘independent’ corporations running ‘independent’ corporations running different segments of the economydifferent segments of the economy

Emphasis on resolving conflicts Emphasis on resolving conflicts But use of terror to marginalize But use of terror to marginalize

opponentsopponents

Fascist ideologyFascist ideology State is absoluteState is absolute Glorification of Glorification of

authorityauthority Promises to Promises to

workers, peasants, workers, peasants, businessmanbusinessman

Bottom line: Bottom line: opportunisticopportunistic

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Putting Mussolini in context:Putting Mussolini in context: Kingdom of Italy a state with low legitimacyKingdom of Italy a state with low legitimacy

• One more failed or failing state?One more failed or failing state? Victor Emmanuel, upper & middle classes fearful Victor Emmanuel, upper & middle classes fearful

––• Mussolini as a solution Mussolini as a solution • Initially seen by some – intellectuals -- as better than Initially seen by some – intellectuals -- as better than

what went beforewhat went before Less so as regime unfoldedLess so as regime unfolded

Regime collapse & recourse to dictatorship a Regime collapse & recourse to dictatorship a story which repeats frequently during this periodstory which repeats frequently during this period• Hungary, Poland, Hungary, Poland, • Spain (before & after civil war)Spain (before & after civil war)• GermanyGermany