Kagan, Ch. 27

RISE AND SPREAD OF FASCISM: MUSSOLINI’S ITALY

TOTALITARIANISM: A DEFINITION

• Reject parliamentary democracy / liberal values

• Individual liberties subordinated to provided complete support for programs of the state• State > individual

• Created unprecedented control over the masses

• Use modern technology and communication systems to accomplish this goal

• The masses must be mobilized towards a goal!

FASCISM:

• antiparliamentarian; antidemocratic

• anti-Marxist

• often anti-Semitic

• hyper-nationalistic = nation > individual

• All aspects of society, government, economy, intellect/arts should serve and glorify the state

• Representatives: Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler, Francisco Franco (used fascist support to come to power in Spain)

MUSSOLINI: ITALIAN FASCISM

• Post World War One Troubles• National debt rose

• Italy gains Trieste & Tyrol but denied lands around city of Fiume & Dalmatia

• Russian Revolution inspired Italian socialists

• Rise of Benito Mussolini• Premier Giolitti: transformismo breeds political corruption

• Mussolini: radical journalist, left-wing socialist

• Led socialist “blackshirt” movements

• Anticommunist, antistrike, nationalist, violent

• October 1922: March on Rome (Mussolini in Milan)

• Cabinet resigns – Mussolini named Premier

• July 1923 Acerbo Law – 25%=2/3 seats of parliament

• 1924 elections – 65% ----

Benito Mussolini

MUSSOLINI'S ITALY• Mussolini’s rise

• Through election manipulating, Fascists gained control of Chamber of Deputies

• This ended parliamentary procedure

• By 1926, all other parties dissolved - Il Duce!! (the Leader)

• Young Fascists

• Lateran Accord, 1929

• recognized pope as ruler of Vatican City

• compensation offered for church lands seize; Catholicism = national religion; Church support of fascist regime

• Was he truly totalitarian?

• Planned economy linked with private ownership of capital

• Many historians argue he did not fully develop control of all aspects of Italian life

• Syndical / Corporate state: medieval guilds determine wage / price…

• “Fascism…was born of the need for action!”