4. Fascism Etruscans to Ancient Rome Fasces, Latin
A single rod is easily broken, while the bundle is much stronger

5. Fascism vs. Communism

6. Mussolini
“Between us and the communists there are no political affinities but there are intellectual ones. Like you [communists], we consider necessary a centralized unitary state which imposes iron discipline and all persons, with this difference, that you reached this conclusion by way of the concept of class, and we by the way of the concept of nation.”  

7. Fascist regimes have several common characteristics:
Fascists are ultra-nationalistic, often extolling the ethnic and physical superiority of the party in power.
A single, charismatic leader rises to power, embodying the ideals of the national culture.
Fascist regimes demand absolute national unity. The advancement of the state becomes the driving force in everyone’s lives.
Fascist regimes are masters of manipulation, especially through mass media.
Private economic goals are swept aside.
Contempt for other forms of government, especially communism, is characteristic of fascist regimes.
Fascist regimes usually work toward military expansion.

8. Choose whether the following best represents democracy, fascism or communism.

9. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it...
Democracy

10. In this sense the theory
In this sense the theory...may be summed up in the single sentence: abolition of private property.
Communism

11. Calls for the creation of a militia with specifically response to domestic opposition responsibilities.
Fascism

12. Advocates sequestration of 85 percent of all war profits by the state.
Fascism

13. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants.
Communism

14. We hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friend.
Democracy

15. Armaments factories are to be nationalized for the growth of the empire
Fascism

16. Expropriation of the property of religious congregations – religion is allowed if it is tied to national tradition
Fascism

17. Let the ruling class tremble at our revolution
Let the ruling class tremble at our revolution. The revolutionaries have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.
Communism

18. Rise and Rule of Single Party States in Italy
Benny Mussolini

19. Conditions – Long-Term
Italy
Constitutional Monarchy in 1861
Liberal Italy
Fully unified in 1871
Long-Term Causes
Lack of nationalism in Italy
Politics were dominated by the upper and middle classes
Real Italy was peasantry and small proletariat
Inability to connect with the masses
Giolitti (PM) unable to expand political participation
Rift between Catholics and Italian state
Corruption in Liberal Italy
General Strike of 1914
Rise of PSI (Socialist Party)
World War I a failure

20. Conditions - Medium Intervention Crisis (1914-15) Impact of the war
Should Italy remain neutral in WWI
Had been allied with Germany and A-H
Interventionists
Right-wing liberals, PM Salandra, Nationalists, Socialists who had broken away from PSI (Mussolini)
Opposition
Giolitti, PSI, Catholic Church
Impact of the war
Political and social divisions widened, Disaffected soldiers, Economic dislocation, Inflation and shortages, Industrial unrest
Openings for Mussolini

21. Decline of the Liberals
Advent of democracy and mass politics, end to ‘transformismo’
Rise of the PPI, Catholic Party and PSI in 1919
Three groups incapable of cooperation
Mutilated Victory
Did not get Fiume or Dalmatia
Economic Crisis and Social Unrest
Immigration to US spikes

22. Biennio Rosso 1919-20 Why no revolution? Red Years Social unrest
Government had promised land reforms during Caporetto
Trade unions grew
Increase in militancy
Strikes in 19-20
Violence attributed to war
Why no revolution?
Socialists disorganized
Attacks by Fascist squads
Limited government cooperation

24. Rise of Mussolini Member of PSI in 1910
Expelled in 1914 for advocating intervention
Joined Italian army but left in 1917
War ends, creates new left- wing movement in 1919
Former PSI members, militants, nationalists
Fascist
Unable to attract much support

25. Rise of Mussolini 1919-1922 moves the party to the right
Attacked socialists, Catholics, peasants
Appealed to land classes
Given support by the Ras
Fascist party bosses
Fascist program
Privatization of industry
Right to property guaranteed
Corporations to represent all classes
Militant nationalism

26. Mussolini Appointed Prime Minister in 1922
Fascists violent towards socialists in Bennio Rosso
Government unable to suppress them
Mussolini under pressure of from the Ras to create a dictatorship
Also negotiating with liberals and conservatives to become PM
March on Rome a bluff, maybe, mobilized 30,000 Fascists
PM Luigi Facta asks King Victor Emmanuel to declare martial law
Mussolini appointed PM in October 1922

27. Why did the Fascist movement grow so quickly?
Checkpoint activity.

28. Mussolini’s Goals Create a personal dictatorship
Develop the Italian, fascist consciousness
Imparting militant nationalism
Improve the economy so that Italy was self-sufficient
Privatization of industry
Right to property guaranteed
Corporations to represent all classes
Establish a new Roman empire and achieve national glory
Notably after the failures of WWI and the Adowa Incident 1896

29. Establishment of Single-Party Rule
1922, had been multi-party state
1926, Fascists the only party
Matteotti Crisis
Giacomo Matteotti attacked the Fascists in a speech
Killed two weeks later
Little opposition

30. Consolidation of Power
Wooed upper and middle classes
Merged with the Nationalist Party in 1923
Implemented balanced budget
Cancelled land reform
Banned strikes and independent unions
Assertive foreign policy (Fiume)
Concessions to Catholic Church
Control over the Chamber
Arrested communists
Broke the PPI as a political force
Acerbo Law gave majority party two-thirds of seats
Violence and intimidation
Control over Party
Fascist militia consolidated squads
Creation Fascist Grand Council
Underestimation by liberals/conservatives
Supported Acerbo Law hoping to get PSI in
Walked out in response to Matteotti crisis

31. Steps Towards Single-Party
PSI banned Oct. 1925
Censorship
1926, power to issue decrees
1926, unions banned
1926, opposition parties banned
1926, powers of arrest increased
1926, secret police
1926, special tribunal for political offenses
1928, democratic electoral system abolished

32. Consolidation of Power
Limited Party influence
Let the King stay, kept constitution
Civil service and police mostly careerists
PNF became more bureaucrats, rather than activists
Created personal dictatorship
Not dependent on the PNF
All under Mussolini

33. Fascist Rule Established a Corporate State
Third way, compromise between socialism and capitalism
1934, formally in pace
22 mixed corporations, had to meet government demands, could do it in any way
Mussolini maintained support from capitalists

34. Economic Policy Strong ties to Italy’s industrialists Increase tariffs
Launch Battle for Grain
Did increase output, expense of other crops
Revalue the lira
Did little to address backwards agriculture
1928, Mussolini Law, limited land reform
Hit hard by depression

35. Economic Successes Infrastructure increased
Rescued banks during depression
Railways, hydro-power, GDP grew, growth in industrial sectors
Serious Failings
Debt due to foreign interventions
Not economically self-sufficient
Small businesses lost out
Not an industrial power
Living standards fell
Landowners and industrialists the only ones to benefit

36. Mussolini and Society Lateran Treaty, 1929 Effective propaganda
Pope’s sovereignty over Vatican City
Catholicism state religion
Effective propaganda
Limited control of the arts
Battle for Births a failure
Anti-Semitic Laws (1938)
Due to Hitler
Cult of Youth
Fascist indoctrination of schools

37. Foreign Policy Aggressive Albania, Libya Abyssinia War in Ethiopia
Intervention in Spanish Civil War
Rome-Berlin Axis of 1936
Pact of Steel 1939
WWII
Comes in in 1940 when he feels the war is over
Italians a failure in Greece and Africa
Lost support, Allies invade Sicily
Ousted by the King, arrested
Truce signed with Allies
Germany invades, put back in power
Allies took Italy
Captured by Italians in 1945, executed