Fascism in Italy | Famous Books for UPSC Exam (Summary & Tests) PDF Download

Mussolini and Fascist Italy - A Political Awakening

The roots of Italian Fascism can be traced back to World War I, when Mussolini and other radicals formed a political group known as a "fasci" to support Italy's war efforts against Germany and Austria-Hungary. The first meeting of Mussolini's Fasci of Revolutionary Action took place on January 24, 1915. In the subsequent years, this small group of fascists engaged in political actions, using worker strikes as a backdrop to incite violence and intimidation.

A Transformative Alliance

Around 1921, the fascists made a strategic move, aligning themselves with mainstream conservatives, which led to a rapid surge in their membership. They abandoned their previous populist and republican agendas, instead embracing policies that supported free enterprise and established ties with the Roman Catholic Church and the monarchy. Fascism's revolutionary character remained intact, as it sought to appeal to both conservatives and syndicalists.

March on Rome - Seizing the Capital

The turning point came in 1922 when the Fascist paramilitaries escalated their violent strategy, targeting socialist offices and homes of socialist leaders. As they occupied several northern Italian cities, they set their sights on the capital, Rome. The infamous "March on Rome" was a pivotal event, as Mussolini and his Blackshirts took control of public buildings and trains, effectively asserting their dominance.

Mussolini's Ascent to Power

King Victor Emmanuel III, apprehensive of potential bloodshed in Rome, made the fateful decision to appoint Mussolini as Prime Minister of Italy on October 30, 1922. Fascist propaganda glorified this event as a heroic "seizure" of power. However, Mussolini's coalition government initially pursued economically liberal policies under the direction of liberal finance minister Alberto De Stefani. The Acerbo Law further bolstered the Fascists' grip on power by securing a plurality of seats in parliament for any party or coalition list that received 25% or more of the vote.

Enforcing Fascist Rule

Mussolini's dictatorial ambitions became apparent in January 1925 when he addressed the Fascist-dominated Italian parliament. He declared himself dictator of Italy, dismissing parliament and assuming full responsibility over the government. Opposition deputies were denied access to parliament, and censorship was introduced, solidifying Fascism's stronghold on power.

Fascism's Foreign Policy

Fascist Italy pursued an aggressive foreign policy in the 1920s, with ambitions to expand Italian territory in the Balkans and establish Italian control over Albania. The regime's brutal actions in Libya, marked by ethnic cleansing and the forced expulsion of the Bedouin population, exemplified the darker aspects of Italian colonialism.