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ITALY

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Title: ITALY


1
ITALY
  • 1919 - 1939

2
Italy Before 1919
  • A brief overview of the situation in Italy before
    1919
  • As we have studied, Italy had reached unification
    in 1870 and was a constitutional monarchy
  • Democracy failed to flourish in Italy because of
    corruption on the part of the politicians----elect
    ions were controlled through bribery, and
    politicians were concerned with personal
    advancement rather than solving the problems of
    the country
  • Thus, Italy remained a poor country, with slow
    progress in the industrial sector, and the land
    also lacked resources and fertile land
  • Because of this millions of Italians were forced
    to emigrate abroad
  • A major problem in the country was its weak
    foreign policy
  • The Italians also tried to raise their
    international prestige by obtaining colonies, but
    they met with defeat in her quest to conquer
    Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) in 1896
  • Due to the inability of the parliamentary
    government to set up a successful domestic and
    foreign policies, the government was looked down
    upon by the Italians because it was full of
    corruption and was inefficient, the people did
    not respect or trust their government

3
Situation of Italy after World War I
  • The new problems that were introduced after the
    World War included
  • The dissatisfaction of the Italians after the
    Paris Peace Talks---According to the London
    Treaty, the Italians were to receive Trentino,
    Trieste, Southern Tyrol, Istria, Dalmatia, the
    coastal districts of Albania, a share in the
    division of the Ottoman Empire and of the German
    colonies in Africa, however, Italy only received
    Trentino, Trieste, Tyrol and Istria, but she did
    not get any former German colonies nor any land
    in Asia Minor, Albania and Dalmatia. Because of
    this, the Italians held great dissatisfaction and
    resentment for the their governments weak
    foreign policy. Italian soldiers, as a result,
    were also resented when they returned to Italy.

http//www.serbianunity.net/culture/history/Treaty
_of_London/index.html
4
More Problems
  • At this time, Italy was also facing general
    economic distress
  • Even before the war, Italy was a poor nation, and
    in order for Italy to go to war, the government
    had to borrow money from other countries
  • Italy had a huge foreign debt over her head in
    order for Italy to pay off her debt, Italy was
    hoping that the tourist industry and export trade
    would help generate profit for the country
  • However, all of Europe was under economic
    difficulties, and the tourist and export
    industries declined, accompanied with large scale
    unemployment in the country
  • The unemployment problem was compounded by the
    return of millions of soldiers seeking jobs
  • Furthermore, a new law, restricting the entrance
    of immigrants into the country, had been passed
    in the United States, so Italys population was
    mainly unemployed
  • The inflation of the lira, also added to economic
    hardships in Italy the lira had diminished to
    only one-fifth of its pre-war value
  • Peasants and unemployed workers went on riots and
    began striking throughout the country, after
    being encouraged by the Bolshevik Revolution

5
Political Developments in Italy
  • All the problems facing Italy mentioned before,
    caused Italians to lose faith in the liberal
    regime of the time
  • As faith in the liberal government began to
    recede, Italians began to throw their support
    behind the Socialist Party and the Catholic
    Popular Party
  • In the 1919 elections, the Socialist party won
    more than a third of the votes, becoming the
    largest party in the Chamber of Deputies, while
    the ruling parties, the Liberals and Democrats
    met with crushing defeat
  • After the Socialist win, they began to carry out
    more strikes
  • The largest strike was held in September of 1920,
    when the General Confederation of Labour called
    for a general strike, where workers took over
    more than six hundred factories and established
    soviets much like the Russian model---through
    this the Socialists also managed to hold power
    over a number of northern towns
  • However, the Socialists failed to gain complete
    power in Italy
  • By 1921, the Socialist threat had waned
  • The Socialist Party could not remain as one
    party, and so split up into several parties,
    including the Communist Party
  • This rise of socialist power was dubbed The Red
    Menace in Italy
  • The threat of a socialist revolution brought fear
    to the industrialists, landlords and other
    property holders

6
Political Developments
  • To add to all the previous problems Italy was
    facing, Italians also feared a socialist
    revolution
  • The instability of Italy was a ripe situation for
    the birth of Italian Fascism
  • The Fascist Party, established by Benito
    Mussolini in 1919 was originally the Milan Fiasco
  • The party had no clear program or policies except
    for a belief in action. It also had ideas to
    bring about radical reform, however, they were
    not specific plans of action.
  • The original stream of thought for the Milan
    Fiasco was based on left-wing politics, and the
    property class was not impressed by the new party
  • In the elections of 1919, Mussolini did not
    manage to win himself a seat in the Chamber of
    Deputies
  • From this point on, Fascist policy began to
    favour right wing politics

7
Political Developments
  • By the end of 1920, support for the Fascist Party
    began to grow
  • Support came form Italian nationalists wno took
    Mussolini as their leader due to his
    determination to implement a strong foreign
    policy
  • As well, Italians were looking for a stable and
    strong government. During 1919-1920, the Italian
    government changed rapidly however, none of them
    had managed to find effective solutions to the
    problems of economic inflation and social unrest.
  • Finally, the General Strike in 1920 worried the
    property class they feared a Communist
    revolution and wanted a strong government to
    restore law and order in the country
  • With the support of the propertied classes,
    Mussolini established the National Fascist Party
    in 1921
  • In the elections of May 1921, the Fascists fared
    much better, as they managed to gain 35 seats of
    355
  • Following these elections, Mussolini begin to
    further change the policies of The Fascist Policy
  • His aim was to now gain total power in Italy

8
Political Developments
  • From 1921-1922, Mussolini
  • Became increasingly anti-Bolshevik in an attempt
    to gain more support from the property class.
    Furthermore, he promised a strong government
    which would suppress and control socialist
    strikes and disturbances
  • Promised a strong foreign policy established to
    bring national glory to Italy
  • Economically, the party was now in favour of free
    enterprise
  • Mussolinis two major themes for the Fascist
    party was nationalism and anti-Bolshevism.
    Mussolini's new tactics brought him much success
    as finances increased from industrialists.
  • The fascist party continued to grow
  • In 1921, the Fascists executed a terrorist
    campaign against the Socialists and Communists.
    During 1922 street battles were fought out
    between the two groups. The government army
    officers made no attempts to stop the Fascists.
    Eventually, armed Fascists ruled some towns with
    approval from the government and the property
    class.
  • In an attempt to slow down the growing influence
    of the Fascists, the Socialists and Communists
    called for a general strike in 1922. However,
    because the strike was ill-prepared, it was
    easily suppressed by government troops with the
    help of Fascists. After this general strike, and
    the Fascists display of strength in putting down
    the strike, the property class relied more on the
    Fascists to defeat Socialism and Communism.

9
Political Developments
  • March on Rome
  • In 1922, following the attempted General Strike,
    Mussolini felt the time had come for him to seize
    power in Italy
  • Mussolini threatened a March on Rome if he was
    not appointed to cabinet
  • Armed Fascists began to march in from various
    parts of the country. Politicians genuinely
    feared the threat, as they had not managed to
    deal with the emergency.
  • Immediately, the Liberal premier resigned to
    avoid any major civil war
  • King Victor Emmanuel did not call out the army
    to resist the Fascists, because he, too, wished
    to avoid a civil war. As well, he felt Mussolini
    and the Fascists could form a strong government
    to restore law and order.
  • The King asked Mussolini to form a new
    government, and in this manner, Mussolini became
    Prime Minister in a coalition government of
    Fascists, Nationalists, Catholics, and right-wing
    Liberals.
  • Power was placed into Mussolini's hands by the
    king, and was thus a legal seizure of power

10
Political Developments
  • Fascism
  • The state is absolute and all individuals are
    relative
  • Parliamentary democracy is inefficient and leads
    to corrupt government and so the whole
    parliamentary system must be discarded, in favour
    of a single leader
  • Preference of state control to laissez faire
    Labour and capital must work together under the
    direction of the state
  • Promotes a totalitarian state that controls all
    the political, economic and social activities of
    its people
  • "Everything within the state, nothing against
    the state, nothing outside the state.- Mussolini

11
Political Developments
  • 1922-1929
  • A coalition government did not satisfy Mussolini,
    who wanted total power
  • His goal was to be the ruler of a one-party
    totalitarian state
  • From 1922 to 1929 he silenced all opposition in
    Italy
  • He managed to do this by building up his own
    power in the government
  • placed loyal Fascists in key government positions
  • created the Voluntary Fascist Militia for
    National Security
  • promoted the Grand Council of Fascism, which was
    the highest authority of the Fascist Party, into
    an organ of state.
  • In 1923, Mussolini secured a new law from
    parliament. The new law allowed any party with
    25 of the votes in a general election would
    receive two-thirds of the seats in the Chamber of
    Deputies. Following this, Mussolini arranged for
    elections in 1924. Using intimidation and
    violence the results of the elections favoured
    the Fascists, who obtained 63 of the votes.
  • In 1924 when Parliament convened the Socialist
    leader insulted the Fascists for their use of
    force during the elections. He was immediately
    murdered by the Fascists.
  • The opposition parties in parliament immediately
    withdrew. This was called the Aventine Secession.
    The Aventine Secession strengthened Mussolini's
    cause.
  • In 1926, a law outlawed all political opposition,
    and a secret police force was established to
    arrest political opponents.
  • For further control of the country, the workers'
    unions were dissolved and opposition newspapers
    were closed.
  • In 1928, a new law abolished universal suffrage
    and restricted parliamentary elections to
    candidates officially nominated by the Fascist
    Grand Council.
  • Soon Mussolini was able to govern by decrees. He
    issued a series of decrees which gave him
    complete legislative authority. The King accepted
    Mussolini as the permanent Prime Minister of
    Italy. Following this all other ministers were
    appointed according to Mussolini.

12
foreign policy
  • Abyssinia (Ethiopia) Crisis
  • both Italy and Ethiopia were members of the
    League of Nations, which forbade aggression
  • but many nations were working independently of
    the League to keep Italy as an ally
  • Franco-Italian Agreement French gave Italy some
    territory, and free rein to do what it wished in
    Ethiopia, in exchange for Italian support against
    German aggression
  • there was little international protest when Italy
    sent troops to Italian colonies bordering
    Ethiopia
  • Italy attacked (second Italo-Abyssinian War)
    which caused the League to condemn the attacks
    and impose economic sanctions on Italy however,
    this wasnt very effective as it excluded vital
    materials like oil, and not all members of the
    League participated
  • secret Hoare-Laval plan (December 1935) put
    together by Britain and France to end the war,
    but give Italy control of large parts of Ethiopia
  • Mussolini agreed to the plan, but caused large
    public outcry in Britain and France when the plan
    was leaked to the media
  • Hoare and Laval were accused of betraying the
    Ethiopians, and both resigned
  • the plan was dropped, but it had already started
    the perception that France and Britain werent
    serious about the principles of the League
  • the plan was dropped, war continued, and
    Mussolini turned to Hitler for alliance

13
economic developments
  • aim of all economic measures bring prosperity to
    Italy
  • the Fascists inherited a lot of economic problems
    from the previous liberal government including a
    large budget deficit and 500 000 unemployed
  • Mussolini realized that Italys weak economy
    (compared to France and Britain) had to be
    addressed if Italy was to become a major power
  • 1922-1925
  • most consistent success in tackling these
    economic problems
  • liberal economist Alberto De Stefani was in
    charge of the Ministry of Finance
  • measures abolition of price-fixing and rent
    controls, reduction of government spending
  • results surplus budget (for first time since
    1918, and reduction in unemployed to 122 000

14
economic developments
  • back to protectionism
  • Mussolini departed from this (liberal) policy and
    replaced De Stefani with Giuseppe Volpi
    (financier and industrialist)
  • measures heavy import duties (on grain, sugar,
    milk) revaluation of the lire in August 1926 at
    90 to the pound
  • results difficulties in Italian economy long
    before the start of the Great Depression (low
    exchange rate of lire decreased tourism and trade
    in luxury commodities)
  • why Mussolini did this
  • Marxists thought this proof of Italian capitalism
  • Mussolini was influenced by considerations of
    political prestige the revaluation of lire gave
    an artificial impression of strength

15
economic developments
  • autarky (economic self-sufficiency)
  • Mussolini introduced 3 battles to improve
    Italys economic prosperity
  • battle for grain
  • positive results
  • production of grain increased from 40 million
    quintals (since 1870) to 60 million (1930) to
    80 million (1939)
  • rich farmers benefited because they were
    guaranteed a good price
  • negative results
  • this was an uneconomic policy because wheat could
    have been bought from the United States at a much
    cheaper price
  • grain was grown in place of fruits and vegetables
    that were much cheaper to produce
  • Italian grain was more expensive to produce and
    price of bread increased which hit the poor hard
    because bread was a major part of their diet

16
economic developments
  • autarky (economic self-sufficiency)
  • battle for land
  • goal
  • marshland ? land suitable for farming
  • results
  • one of the areas drained was the Pontine Marshes
    near Rome which provided hundreds of thousands of
    acres of new farmland
  • roads were also built on cleared land to improve
    infrastructure
  • this plan was labour-intensive and employed lots
    of people
  • generally, considered a success

Mussolini helping to drain the Pontine Marshes.
17
economic developments
  • autarky (economic self-sufficiency)
  • battle of the lira
  • goal restore some of the purchasing power the
    lira used to have
  • Mussolini wanted to create an image of Italy as a
    super power in Europe, and weak lira wouldnt
    have added to this image
  • he inflated the value of the lira by making
    exports more expensive
  • results
  • caused unemployment because many industries and
    firms were unable to sell their goods
  • this was a failure because the industrial base of
    Italy was too small

18
economic developments
  • creation of a corporate state
  • Charter of Labour (April 1927) the government
    brought employers and employees of the same trade
    into one confederation
  • by 1936, there were 22 corporations formed which
    represented all the major branches of industrial,
    agricultural, artistic, and professional life,
    and were placed under the supervision of the
    National Council of Corporations (Mussolini was
    the Chairman)
  • corporations provided health, unemployment and
    accident insurance
  • strikes were forbidden if the workers had any
    complaints, they had to appeal to the Labour
    Courts, which were usually dominated by employers
    or officials who sided with the employers
  • no minimum wage was established
  • unemployment rose from 110 000 (1926) to over 1
    000 000 (1933) before dropping to 700 000

19
economic developments
  • overall, Mussolini failed to increase the
    prosperity of Italy, and did in fact lower the
    standard of living for most Italians
  • while the battle for land could be considered a
    success and a strong political symbol, it didnt
    really affect land ownership much
  • in 1930, 87.3 of the farming population were
    peasant smallholders and they held 13.2 of the
    land, whilst the richest 0.5 of the landed
    population farmed on 41.9 of available land
    nothing really changed in the next decade
  • in fact, smallholders and small-scale businesses
    found it harder to survive annual average of 7
    000 small farms passed to the exchequer because
    the owner was unable to pay the land tax

20
social developments
  • education
  • fascistisation of youth control of textbooks
    and curriculum, removal of teachers critical of
    Fascist principles
  • April 1926 law introducing compulsory youth
    organizations to get male children on the Fascist
    path
  • Figli della Lupa (Sons of the She-Wolf) ages
    4-8
  • Balilla ages 8-14
  • Avanguardisti (Vanguard) up to age 18
  • Giovani Fascisti (Young Fascists) best
    graduates of the system to age 21
  • no great advances in conventional educational
    areas
  • 1901 illiteracy at 48.5
  • 1921 illiteracy at 30
  • 1931 illiteracy still above 20

21
social developments
  • role of women/ battle for births (1927)
  • like in Nazi Germany, women had a specific role
    in Fascist Italy
  • get married and have lots of kids!
  • increased population would prove Italian
    virility, give support to Italys claims for
    colonies, and increase army size
  • goal increase in population from 37 million in
    1920 to 60 million in 1950, each family had a
    target of 5 children
  • large families were rewarded with tax privileges,
    whereas bachelors (except priests and maimed war
    veterans) were taxed heavily
  • abortion and contraception were illegal
  • population did increase to 44.4 million in 1941,
    but this was due more to a fall in death rate
    (better medical care) and U.S. restrictions on
    immigration birth rate actually went down
    between 1927 and 1934

22
cultural developments
  • media
  • the government tried to change a means of
    communication into a coordinated political
    purpose
  • by 1926 there was no opposition press
  • sport
  • used to breed Fascist values and as a source for
    nationalist propaganda
  • Dopolavoro - formed May 25 to provide healthy
    and profitable ways for workers to spend their
    leisure time (i.e. cheap holidays, libraries,
    etc.)

1934 Football World Cup Poster
23
cultural developments
  • Fascism and the Catholic Church
  • Mussolini and other Fascists never lost their
    anti-clericalism, but Mussolini realized that he
    could not govern Italy successfully with
    Catholic opposition
  • Papacy considered Fascism to be the only
    alternative to the godless doctrines of
    socialism
  • generally, except for a period in 1927 when the
    Catholic boy scout movement was stopped by the
    State, the State and Church got along well
  • education act (February 1923) restored the
    compulsory religious education in elementary
    schools that had been abolished by previous
    liberal government
  • 1924 Pope helped out Fascism by withdrawing his
    support from the Catholic Popular Party, which
    couldnt survive after this, and Mussolini had no
    more major political rivals

24
cultural developments
  • Fascism and the Catholic Church
  • Lateran Accords (February 1929)
  • settled most of outstanding conflicts between
    Papacy and State
  • State restored some of Papacys temporal
    authority by creating a tiny state within Rome,
    known as Vatican City
  • Catholicism was confirmed to be the only state
    religion, compulsory religious education was
    extended to secondary schools, and divorce was
    outlawed
  • Pope received financial compensation for its
    losses since Italian seizure of Rome in 1870
  • Mussolini gained popularity (the Church had great
    moral influence)
  • The Lateran Accords were the greatest political
    successes of Mussolinis career, and the longest
    lasting impact of Fascism on modern day Italy

25
sources
  • Fascist Italy. The Corner of the World.
  • http//www.thecorner.org/hist/total/f-italy.htme
    con-life.
  • The Economy in Fascist Italy. Trueman, Chris.
    History Learning Site.
  • http//www.historylearningsite.co.uk/economy_in_f
    ascist_italy.htm.
  • Europe 1870-1991. Morris, Terry Murphy,
    Derrick. Published in 2000 by Collins
    Educational, London.
  • the end
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