Fascism in Italy Chad, Eric, Mason, April, Nate

Before Mussolini Italy joined the Allies and was promised certain territories in Austria-Hungary When Allies won, Italy only received some of the promised territories This broken promise angered them and caused chaos. Riots and strikes broke out Trade declined, taxes rose

Mussolini Rises to Power Benito Mussolini was an intense nationalist In 1919, he organized the Fascist party He wanted to end the corruption and turmoil He also wanted to turn the Mediterranean into a "Roman lake" once again

Black Shirts Mussolini organized the supporters into combat squads They wore black shirts to symbolize the nationalist revolt They were against the democratic process that supported violence They broke up socialist rallies, smashed leftist presses, attacked farmers' cooperatives, and used intimidation to scare elected officials out of office in Northern Italy

March on Rome Planned march of thousands of fascist supporters to take over Rome; in response Mussolini was given the legal right to control Italy October 30,1922 Mussolini entered the city triumphantly He thus obtained a nominally legal, constitutional appointment from the king to lead Italy

State control of the economy Mussolini brought the economy under state control. He preserved capitalism. Under Mussolini's state, representatives of business, labor, government, and fascists party controlled the industry, agriculture and trade.

Individual and state Men, women, and kids were bombarded with the slogans glorifying the state. Men were urged to be ruthless, selfless warriors fight for glory of Italy.

Totalitarian state Mussolini built the first totalitarian state. In the form of government a one party dictatorship attempts to regulate every aspect of the lives of it's citizens.

Fascism We generally use the term fascism to describe any centalized,authoritarian government that is not communist whose policies glorify the state over the individuals and are destructive to human rights.

Fascism's Appeal Given it's restrictions on individuals freedom, it promised a strong, stable government and an end to the political feuding that had paralyzed democracy in Italy.

Fascism vs. Communism They were sworn enemies of socialists and communist. While communist worked for international change, fascism pursed nationalists goals. Fascism supported a society with defined classes. Communists touted a classless society. Both drew their power by inspiring a blind devotion to the state, or a charismatic leader as the embodiment of the state. Both flourished during economic hard times by promoting extreme programs of social change.