Mussolini: The Founder of Fascism
Il Duce
The Lateran Accords, 1929
Gave The church
Fascism
Fascist traits:
- Acerbo Law - forced through parliament guaranteed that the party with the most votes would get 2/3 of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies
- Socialist leader, Giacomo Matteotti murdered for speaking out against the fascists
- By 1926 all anti-fascist parties had been eliminated
- Freedom of press and speech were also eliminated
- Formed the first Fascist government in Italy in 1923
- Supports Hitler throughout the 1930's
- Supports the Fascist government in Spain during Spanish Civil War
- Joins in alliance with hitler in 1939
- Used blackshirts as a paramilitary force
- Comes to power in 1923 after the March on Rome
- King Emmanuel III refused to sign an emergency legislation to prevent it - he refused allowing Mussolini to come to power
The Lateran Accords, 1929
- The Catholic Church was the most powerful remaining body in Italy
- Fearing Mussolini's wrath Pope Pius XI signed a deal
Gave The church
- Control over religious education in schools
- Recognition as the state religion
- The right for the Pope to rule his own state known as the Vatican
- Mussolini got recognition by the church as the legitimate leader
Fascism
Fascist traits:
- Private ownership encouraged and aided by the gov't
- Censorship of the media
- Imperialistic (expand empire abroad)
- Nationalistic (Pride in ones Country)
- Militaristic
- Non-democratic
- Often totalitarian dictatorship
- "Anti-liberal, anti-mass democracy, anti socialist"
"Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power."
- Mussolini
- Mussolini
FUN FACT: When Mussolini was only 10 years old, he was supposedly expelled from his religious boarding school for stabbing someone in the hand.
Subjunctive Question
What would have happened if Mussolini was Communist instead of fascist?
Stick says "Nazi Prop"
Summary
Mussolini formed the first Fascist Government in Italy in 1923. He supported Hitler throughout the 1930's and joins an alliance with him in 1939.