Fascism in Italy Rachel Billy, Nathaniel Kosko, Corbin Weaver, Tyler Strothers, Austin Wise

Benito Mussolini Benito grew up as a socialist but during the war turned to nationalism. In 1919 he organized veterans and other Italians into a Fascist party. Mussolini became a very influential speaker and promised to end corruption and bring order to Italy.

Black Shirts Mussolini organized all his supporters into "combat squads." These squads wore black shirts to represent an earlier nationalist revolt. The Black Shirts, or party militants, rejected the democratic process in favor of violent action.

Black Shirts They broke up socialist rallies, smashed leftist presses, and attacked farmers' cooperatives. Fascist gangs used intimidation and terror to oust elected officials in Northern Italy. Many Italians accepted these actions because they, too, had lost faith in constitutional government.

March On Rome In the year of 1922 the Fascists put of a battle for power. In a rally in Naples they made their announcement to go to Rome and demand that the government to change. 10,000 Fascits marched towards the capital. In the fear of a civil war, King Victor Emmanuel III asked Mussolini to form a government as a prime minister. Mussolini entered the city triumphantly on October 30, He then he had obtained a nominally legal, constitutional appointment from the king to lead Italy.

There were many poeple that were thrilled about the march.

State Control of Economy Mussolini brought the economy under state control, to spare economic growth and arguments between owners and workers. He preserved capitalism from the old system. This new system favored the upper classes and industrial leaders. Success in the economy was earned by the hard work of industry workers. In effect workers were not permitted to strike, also workers wages were kept low to keep factory expenses at a minimum.

The Individual and the State Loyalty to the state replaced conflicting individual goals. The state was all-important and the individual was unimportant except as a member of the state. Men were encouraged to be ruthless and selfless warriors. Women were forced out of paying jobs and called upon to "win the battle of motherhood."

The Individual and the State Women who had more than 14 children were given a medal. Fascist youth groups toughened children and taught them to obey strict military discipline. Children marched in torchlight parades and sang patriotic hymns. By the 1930s, Il Duce had an army of young soldiers eager to expand italian power.

Totalitarian State Benito Mussolini was the first to start a Totalitarian state. In this form of government, a one-party dictatorship attempts to regulate every aspect of the lives of its citizens. Other dictators, such as Hitler and Stalin, followed Mussolini's lead. Mussolini's rule was fascist in nature, but totalitarian governments rise under other ideologies as well, such as communism.

Fascism Fascism is a system of government whose policies are against communism. Their policies uphold the state over the individual. All forms of fascism glorified action, violence, discipline, and blind loyalty to the state. They also sought extreme nationalism.

Fascism's Appeal Fascism promised a strong, stable government and an end to the political feuding that crippled democracy in Italy. Mussolini projected a sense of power and confidence in times of disorder and despair and his intense nationalism brought back national pride. At first, Western democracies applauded Mussolini's government for its order and discipline. Western democracies only objected to Mussolini's government when he embarked on a course of conquest.

Fascism vs. Communism Fascists were the sworn enemies of socialists and communists. Communists worked for international change and Fascists pursued national goals. Fascists supported a society with defined classes. Communists favored a classless society. There was also many things they had in common like they both got thier power by inspiring a devotion to the state, or characteristic leader as the embodiment of the state. They also had a lot of success during the economic hard times by promoting extreme programs of social change.