Mussolini: Rise to power and domestic policy
Mussolini becomes Prime Minister
Question
In what ways, and with what success, did one authoritarian ruler deal with internal opposition?
- The march on Rome was backed by about 50,000 members of the "Blackshirts".
- Fascism was seen as preferable than the left, therefore it was supported by numerous sectors..
- The King Victor Emmanuel III as well as Liberal and Conservative sectors decided Mussolini was a better choice.
- He became Prime Minister in November of 1922.
References
Welch, David. (1999). Modern European History 1871-2000. New York: Routledge. Second Edition.
Dealing with the opposition-Concentrating power
- Mussolini created a permanent fascist militia which was under his direct control. It was used to strengthen the one party system. (The Voluntary Militia for National Security.)
- After the establishment of the OVRA the opposition was continuously suppressed.
- In 1924 elections Mussolini´s party gains the majority of the seats in Parliament due to the existence of the "Acerbo Law". Matteotti is murdered for exposing the nature of the fascist victory.
The Control of the propaganda
Establishment of dictatorial power
After opposition is suppressed and the press is censored, Mussolini proceeds to eliminate constitutional constraints on power.
Parliament is replaced by a Fascist Grand Council.
Mussolini creates the Ministry of Popular Culture, in order to systematically control the propaganda.
In 1923 censorship of the press is established and criticism against the regime ceased.
Source: A.Rhodes, Propaganda: The Art of Persuasion in World War II (London, 1976), p. 71
Propaganda
How did the fascists become a relevant political actor?
- Its purpose was to depict the leader as a superman with unlimited power who embodied the nations will and aspirations.
- Education was intervened in order to reproduce children with qualities of obedience and devotion to their leader.
- Organizations for youth indoctrination and qualification were created. Their aim was to qualify future members of the fascist party.
- Mussolini became an important political actor when he started his movement "Fasci di Combattimento".
- Fascists portrayed themselves as the saviors of the nation, the ones capable of restoring order and law.
- Although their power increased they did not become a political force in the elections of 1921.
- The march on Rome was attempted to generate pressure among the government
Economic management and Autarky
Objective
- Understand and analyze the conditions that enabled the rise of fascist leaders.
- Describe and explain the methods used by single party state rulers in order to establish totalitarian control.
- Economic crisis never really ceased under Mussolini's regime.
- He tried to reduce unemployment and underemployment by reducing the working week and wages (to spread out the employment).
- This measure only caused and exacerbation of the deflationary trend.