1. Italian Fascism
Section

2. Differences between Dictatorship and Totalitarianism
Older & only a theory of government
Expedient
Designed for emergencies
Believed to be temporary
Totalitarianism
Created after WWI
Not just a government but theory of life and human nature
Permanent form of society and civilization
An everlasting emergency

3. The Birth of Fascimo Advancement of Democracy still held in 1920
Russia, Turkey, China’s failure to develop liberal institutions didn’t count as they were “backwards” nations
But democracy was jolted when Italy (major force in European history and parliamentary since 1861) became fascist in 1922
Mussolini
Born in 1883
Son of a blacksmith
Followed the career of professional revolutionary
Influenced by Sorel’s Reflections on Violence, Nietzsche
Became intensely nationalist during WWI
Wanted Italy to join the Allies and wanted Austrian territory of Italia irredenta (unredeemed Italy)
Only reached rank of corporal during war

4. Fascio di combattimento
March 1919 organized his first fascio di combattimento
Fighting band of ex-soldiers
Fascio: bunch or bundle (or rods)
Carried by the lectors (ancient Rome) as a symbol of state power and meant to conjure up ancient glories
Italy went to the treaty negotiations believing they would receive ample compensation for the 600,000 lives they lost in WWI
Had been promised territory in secret treaty of London in 1915
Received some of the Austrian territories they wanted
Received none of the Turkish territories they wanted

5. Social Unrest
After WWI depression and unemployment led to social unrest
Tenant farmers seized land and refused to pay rents
Peasants burned crops, killed livestock
Workers staged sit down strikes
Communist (Left wing socialists) of the Comintern (after the 3rd International) spread discontentment
 Blackshirts or Fascists fell into conflict with the communists
Brawling in the streets and other acts of violence persisted
1919 election the Catholic Popular (Christian Socialist) party had impressive showing
1921 elections Mussolini’s Fascists won 35 seats out of 500
Fascists ranks were growing

6. Mussolini: Upholding Order & Property
At first encouraged factory seizures and seemed anti capitalistic
Although there was not a real threat of “Bolshevik” style revolution, the propertied interests felt threatened
Mussolini tossed out idealism and pledged to uphold law and order
IE to protect propertied class
Gave financial support to Mussolini
Nationalists, unemployed and discouraged (from unionism) lower middle classes joined
Blackshirts abused Communists and Socialists in various ways to stifle their movements
Forced feedings of castor oil
Moved against labor unions as well
Squadristi (vigilante fascists squadrons) broke up strikes, committed arson, murder
Reinforced his claim as paladin of law and church
A few years earlier he was republican and anticlerical

7. March on Rome
Blackshirts marched on Rome from various directions (October 1922)
Mussolini waited in Milan
Coalition government (liberal dem) had allowed fascism to exist (as it rid nation of leftist troublemakers)
Tried to enforce martial law but king backed down
Forced the cabinet to resign
Under the Kings authority Mussolini (Premier) and his coalition were granted emergency powers to restore order in Italy for 1 year
Before the year was up Muss forced through Parliament a law
Party that wins the most votes in an election receives 2/3 of the seats in the Parliament
This was his solution to the instability of coalitions
Fascists won 3/5 of the seats anyway (Why?)
His gov. controlled the political machinery
His cronies (Squadristi) greeted voters at the polls

8. Matteotti’s Murder
Well respected Socialist deputy Matteotti exposed hundreds of cases of the heavy handed tactics (fraud, violence) of the Fascists
was murdered
Italian press called for Mussolini’s resignation
At first Muss said he would punish the perpetrators but later took responsibility
refused to resign and began to centralize his power
Reduced the Italian parliament to a nonentity
Put the press under censorship
Destroyed the labor unions
Deprived labor of the right to strike
Abolished all political parties

9. El Duce Criticized democracy as factional
Out of date government that only accentuated class struggle
Led to selfishness, futility, empty talk
Preached the need of vigorous action under a strong leader
El Duce (The Leader)
Denounced liberalism, free trade, laissez-faire capitalism, Marxism, materialism, socialism, and class consciousness
Said these were evil offspring of capitalism and liberalism
Preached national solidarity and state managed economy
Brought a certain efficiency to Italy that was missing (trains always on time)

10. The Cooperative State
Mussolini began what had been contemplated by Left and Right since lat 1800s
Left wing syndical organization called for labor to control sectors of the economy
Conservative syndical organization called for state control of sectors of the economy
Supported by Catholic Church after the Lateran accord (1929)
Seemed a revival of the guild system
Except Mussolini’s state controlled virtually everything
Similar to a corporate board of directors
Divided all economic life into 22 major sectors
Each had its own corporation
Division leaders (made up of labor, employers, and government) were to direct the activities within their sector
directed labor, Organized the employers, Monitored working conditions
Determined wages, prices, and policies

11. State Control of Economic Life
National council of division leaders were to plan the economic activities of the nation
Focus on self-sufficiency
Said that the state should be organized around the nations economic occupations
IE. State determined all answers to economic questions (What to produce, Who makes it, gets it, at what price, …?) but allowed private enterprise (profit) to exist
Mussolini called it a dictatorship of the state over many classes cooperating

12. Depression Mussolini blamed the world for the depression
Called for self sufficiency
Started public works projects
Hydroelectric power
“Battle of wheat” proclaimed to increase wheat production
Little reform was made between the social extremes of wealth and poverty
Fascism failed to provide economic security or material well being for those it demanded so much sacrifice of individual freedom
Spirit of recapturing the past glories of Rome was enough distraction for the population that it was less critical of Fascism
Imperialist adventures gave a sense of greatness & distracted the Italians

13. The Appeal of Fascism
A possible alternative to democratic or parliamentary government
Communists, socialists, labor leaders, and liberals hated fascism
Wealthier or established people liked it because it reduced the threat of Bolshevism
Tentative democracies in Eastern Europe that struggled under the concepts of majority vote were attracted to fascism
Mussolini said fascism “was born of the need for action”
Mussolini 1933 by Diego Rivera from DR Museum