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Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator

Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator. November 1922: Problems Facing Mussolini He was 1 of only 4 Fascists in the Cabinet Only 35 Fascists in 535-member Chamber of Deputies

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Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator

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  1. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator

  2. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator
  3. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator November 1922: Problems Facing Mussolini He was 1 of only 4 Fascists in the Cabinet Only 35 Fascists in 535-member Chamber of Deputies Fascists had won only 7% of vote—power came partly from violence & threat
  4. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator November 1922: Problems Facing Mussolini Mussolini had no detailed policies & little experience as a leader Mussolini’s coalition faced same problem as earlier ones Fascist supporters split between moderates & radicals
  5. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Why had Mussolini become Prime Minister? Fascist Revolution or Effective Government? Radical Changes or Moderate Normalization?
  6. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Nov. 1922: Parliament passes vote of confidence in new govt.; grant Mussolini emergency powers, 1 yr. Dec. 1922: Mussolini creates Grand Council, cabinet-like org. w/in Fascist Party—way to increase control Jan. 1923: creates new militia paid by state—many from Fascist squadristi
  7. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Oct. 1922 – Jan. 1923: Strengthening power in Fascist Party Moving towards authoritarianism instead of radical changes—passed policies favoring industrialists, agrarian landowners & few for Church European econ0my improving
  8. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Feb. 1923: Nationalist Association joins Fascist Party—strengthens moderate elements of party Mussolini knew support of elites more important than support from radical elements of party Use the powers of the state to reduce & eliminate enemies
  9. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Despite early successes his position as PM still weak King could dismiss him at any time Parliament likely to cooperate w/a successor (small rep. of Fascist in parliament) Needed to control parliament Needed to change election laws to end proportional representation
  10. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 ACERBO LAW, July 1923 Chamber of Deputies meet to vote on Acerbo Bill—give 2/3 of seats to party w/ most votes in election & having at least 25% of vote Chamber of Deputies—surrounded by blackshirts—passed the Acerbo Law, 303 - 40
  11. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Corfu Incident, Aug. 1923: foreign policy success demonstrating Italy’s growing strength Fiume, Jan. 1924: Italy gains control of Fiume Major foreign policy successes helped Mussolini’s reputation & support
  12. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 April 1924 Election (Acerbo Law in effect) Govt. list of approved candidates, non-Fascists Leftist opposition remained split Heavy govt. influence in election process Militia violence v. Socialists Opposition meetings disrupted & voters intimidated Fascist voters often allowed more than 1 vote
  13. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 April 1924 Election A. Lyttleton, The Seizure of Power: “the use of violence, police repression and electoral fraud was on such a large scale that the expression of popular will was radically falsified.” Fascist won 66% of vote w/275 Deputies (100 others)
  14. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 April 1924 Election Fascist now have control & full power of State at their disposal Official critics would be targeted; violence & intimidation by squadristi continues along w/ govt sanctioned violence; Socialist meetings, buildings, publications, members attacked
  15. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator “Italy has never been so united as she is today… Fascismo has abolished the game of parliamentary chess; it has also simplified the taxation system and reduced the deficit to manageable proportions; it has vastly improved the public services, particularly the railways; it has reduced the superfluously large bureaucracy without any bad results in the way of hardships or unemployment; it has pursued a vigorous and fairly successful colonial policy. All this represents hard and useful work, but the chief boon upon Italy are national security and national self-respect… Fascismo has had a great deal of courage, very considerable wisdom and immense luck… it has deserved the sincere birthday greetings of the world.” —The Times, 31 October 1923
  16. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Murder of GiacomoMatteotti, June 1924 Leader of the Socialists Member of the Chamber of Deputies Leading opponent of Mussolini & Fascists
  17. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Matteotti to Chamber of Deputies, 30 May 1924: “No one has been free because every citizen knew… that even had he dared with majority support to express his opposition the government had a force at its disposal that would have nullified his words… We are defending the sovereign freedom of the Italian people… by demanding the nullification of the elections.” “Now you can prepare my funeral oration.”—to colleagues as he left the chamber
  18. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Mussolini in Il Popolo, 31 May 1924: “Matteotti made a speech of an outrageously provocative nature which should deserve some more concrete reply than the label scoundrel.”
  19. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 1o June 1924: Matteotti forced into a car License plate number of the car (55 12169) belonged to a leading Fascist Investigation led to leader (Dumini) of a secret hit squad called Cheka “Nine Homicides” Dumini, was personal asst. to Cesare Rossi, Mussolini’s press secretary
  20. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Did Mussolini order the murder? Did he know about it? Was he involved in any way? Widespread outrage in Italy: newspapers, demonstrations, torn up Fascist membership cards Was Mussolini head of a terrorist regime? Was he the head of a strengthened form of parliamentary govt. that operated w/in law?
  21. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 June 1924: Aventine Secession Most opposition deputies walked out of Parliament in protest to Mussolini’s govt. Met elsewhere & declared themselves the true representatives of the Italian people Expected the King to dismiss Mussolini
  22. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Mussolini’s Position June 1924-Dec.1924: repression & concession—press censorship increased; militia mobilized & integrated into army; loyalty oath to King; Rossi & chief of police fired; Mussolini steps down as Interior Minister Ras & radicals wanted Mussolini to seize power in dictatorship Dec. 1924 evidence implicated Mussolini in Matteotti’s assassination
  23. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 Mussolini’s Position June 1924-Dec.1924: radicals in Fascist Party saw power slipping from them unless Mussolini acted 31 Dec. 1924: tense meeting of Fascist Party Mussolini vacillation ended
  24. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1922-1924 3 Jan. 1925: Mussolini addresses Chamber of Deputies Mussolini takes responsibility for Fascism not for Matteotti’s murder Dictatorship to go into effect in 48 hours Process of Dictatorship Began (completed May 1928)
  25. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator How did Mussolini survive the Matteotti Crisis? King Victor Emmanuel III unwilling to act—safer to keep Mussolini in office & had learned lesson Elite not completely happy, but thought had done a good job—esp. given alternatives Church—Mussolini had saved Italy from Socialism Army—would obey the King Moderate Deputies—saw Mussolini weakened & thought could control him Opposition unable to cooperate Ras wanted dicatorship
  26. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator How did Mussolini survive the Matteotti Crisis? “Mussolini panicked and would have resigned had the King required it. The King did not demonstrating the unwillingness of conservatives even now to abandon Mussolini, partly from fear of a left-wing revival and partly in the hope of exploiting Mussolini’s vulnerability to increase their influence over him.” —M. Blinkhorn, Mussolini and Fascist Italy
  27. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator How did Mussolini survive the Matteotti Crisis? “The reluctant attitudes of the King and Pope summarized the problems in a nutshell: the Italian power structure was slow to admit that its creature, Fascism, was out of control, and without leadership from the power structure, the anti-Fascist opposition remained fragmented and embryonic.” —A. Cassels, Fascist Italy
  28. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator How did Mussolini survive the Matteotti Crisis? “His victory, once again, owed much to the militant squads and to their power in the provinces; and, once again, it owed much to the King’s unwillingness to use the army against the Fascists. Yet once again, it was not inevitable. If the opposition parties had been present in the Chamber… or if the Rossi memorandum had not been published when it was [during holidays]… or if the militia ‘consuls’ had not put pressure on in late December, or if the elder statesmen… had shown more initiative, then Mussolini might have fallen… the King had decided, and Mussolini was safe.” —M. Clark, Modern Italy 1871-1982
  29. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1925-1928 Arrests of opponents Increasingly repressive decrees & laws Fascist Movement into a personal dictatorship—centralized control of party into a govt. ministry then fired the Ras leader in charge of the ministry
  30. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1925-1928 Jan. 1925: arrests & closing of hostile organizations All Fascist Cabinet Dopolavoro, mass leisure org., established Oct. 1925: Battle for Grain—make Italy self-sufficient (economic policy) Dec. 1925: greater press censorship Dec. 1925: Law on Powers of Head Government—gives Mussolini great executive power—rule by decree
  31. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1925-1928 Feb. 1926: elected mayors replaced by appointed podestas April 1926: strikes forbidden; youth organization, Balilla, created July 1926: Ministry of Corporations established Oct. 1926: opposition parties banned
  32. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1925-1928 Nov. 1926: Special Tribunal for the Defense of the State—wide admin powers including arrests w/o justification Nov. 1926: OVRA established—secret police Nov. 1926: all press freedom ended
  33. Mussolini in Power: From PM to Dictator Mussolini, 1925-1928 Parliament: lost power to intiate laws; Mussolini responsible to King not parliament Local Govt: judges, civil servants & teachers purged; elected councils eliminated; podestas Judiciary: repressive administrative powers w/o need resort to former republican judicial system Trade Unions: strikes & lockouts illegal, Fascist unions recognized as only legal unions Fascists: Mussolini centralized Party under his leadership Opponents: all non-Fascist parties banned Electoral Laws: plebiscite system replaced individually elected MPs
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