Benito Mussolini Research Paper

In the aftermath of the war, the Italian society were in poor conditions. Italy was one of the victorious Allies but gained nothing in the Treaty of Versailles. Nationalists wanted to make imperialistic advances but with the lack of gains in the Treaty of Versailles, they were unable to go on with their plan. Additionally, most of their money was used for the war so in order to meet financial demands, the government had to print money at a rapid rate, which led to inflation. High unemployment rates, homelessness, and lack of food resulted and the Italian working class was enraged that the government was unable to provide them with life necessities. Veterans returning from the war also faced unemployment and felt their contribution to the war
For example, he executed his Corporate State policy. The Corporate State policy aimed to avoid disputes between workers and capitalists. This policy divided the society and economy into major interest groups. The representatives of the groups would then settle conflicts through negotiation or agreement. This created more cooperation between the employers and employees and encouraged them to maximize their production. Ultimately, this policy failed because it ensured Mussolini success but not the state as a whole. Many Italians were bitter towards Mussolini because he allowed and encouraged the Black Shirts to beat up and attack people who were against him. The corporations were mostly controlled by Fascists who pushed aside the worker’s interests. Disputes between capitalists and labour were not solved but instead suppressed. While production increased, it was at the cost of the workers, which eventually caused its failure. Furthermore, he executed policies on youth and education. Mussolini aimed to shape the young by creating future loyal fascists and disciplined soldiers to secure his regime. Teachers promoted cult of personality and stressed national greatness. However, the impact of the youth and training was not so significant. Many children left school at a young age and private and Catholic schools had their own curriculum. Even the students at universities were not fully committed to Mussolini's ideals. This is especially shown in World War II, when the soldiers trained and educated by Mussolini’s ideas did not prove to be prepared for war. Although Mussolini tried implement policies to help him rule Italy, not all of it proved to be