Constitutional Monarchy. WWI: Huge losses (3 rd after Russia and France). End of WWI: Left with a poor economy and many social issues. - High unemployment rates - National debt - Inflation Didn’t obtain all the territory they had been promised in the Treaty of London.
Assembly of 600,000 workers in a Fiat factory in an attempt to overthrow the capitalist regime.
Childhood Early Political Beliefs Italian Fascist Party
Economic Factors Political actors Social Factors
Belief in the superiority of the nation’s people. Absolute power of the state. Corporatism: state controls labor and factory owners. Extreme patriotism: glory of the nation, fear of outside threats. Militarism and imperialism: other “weaker” nations were supposed to be conquered. Poster announcing the 10 th anniversary of the coup d’état which brought Mussolini to power.
Cult of the leader: known as “Il Duce”, the duke. Became a sort of national legend. Repression of anti-fascists was less violent that in Germany. A sort of secret police, “the Black shirts”, who put into line those who opposed Mussolini by using violence and intimidation. tch?v=zJpp3ipxKzU Link to one of Mussolini’s speeches. tch?v=zJpp3ipxKzU Propaganda poster from Mussolini’s regime, it reads: “One for all, one for the Duce.”
Extreme nationalism: build up the prestige and greatness of nation. Total obedience to authority: “Believe, Obey, Fight!” Autarky: government directed the economic life of the nation. Attempt to end class warfare by promoting co-operation between employers and workers: “The Corporative State”. Military strength and violence: “Peace is absurd: fascism does not believe in it” – Mussolini. Censorship: a strict press censorship was enforced. Education: closely supervised. Religion: The Lateran treaty of 1929.
25 April, 1945: Liberation Day. 27 April : Mussolini & his mistress attempt to flee Italy but get caught by Italian partisans. 28 April : Mussolini is shot. US news coverage of Mussolini’s execution Article from the Anti-Fascist party on the day of Mussolini’s death.