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How did Mussolini set up a one party state?. Ideas so far? How could one set up a single party state?. “An absurd little man”. Mussolini becomes Prime Minister in 1922 at the age of 39 (the youngest Italian Prime Minister at the time)
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“An absurd little man” • Mussolini becomes Prime Minister in 1922 at the age of 39 (the youngest Italian Prime Minister at the time) • Once in power what steps did Mussolini take to secure a single party state? • Acerbo law 1923 Decree laws 1928 • Squadristi / MVSN 1923 Legge Fascistissme 1925-6 • Censorship 1925 Matteotti Affair 1924 • Trade unions (Wed) Cult of Mussolini (Wed) • Did Mussolini achieve a revolution in government? (Wed)
So what did he do? • From your spider diagram of potential actions / threats, show how he translated this into action e.g. censorship was enacted in 1925, removal of opposition includes the Matteotti Affair • You can add this to your spider diagram but you do need considerable detail for each point • Resources: Traynor pages 155-60 (detail) • Collins pages 273-5 (overview)
Recap • What did Mussolini do to consolidate his power?
‘Corporativism’ • Ambiguous use of ‘syndicalism’ (Georges Sorel) but wasn’t revolutionary. Tried to ease class relations. • Banned Soc. and Cath. Trade Unions • Rocco Law 1926 – strikes and lock-outs banned; legally recognised Fascist syndicates • Corporations or ‘central liaison organs’ mediated between workers and employers (though not set up properly until 1934)
Political Parties • Banned 1926 – Law for the Defence of the State • Note shift towards authoritarianism after 1925 • Censorship – Press Law 1925. Censorship strengthened, some newspapers seized. Only registered journalists could write. • Some newspapers remained e.g. Socialists’ Avanti and Communists’ L’Unita but did not have much influence
So how much control did Mussolini have? • ‘The King’s passivity, the impotence of the opposition parties and Mussolini’s skilfull control of his own extremists meant that by late 1925 Italy had become, to some extent, a totalitarian state’. - Traynor • ‘Everything within the State, nothing outside the State, nothing against the State’. • -Mussolini
Activity • Add political parties, trade unions and censorship to your notes • Do you think a revolution of government was achieved on the evidence so far? • Look for evidence for both sides of the argument • As we look at more elements of Mussolini’s Italy we will develop the argument.