Italy: Totalitarian State
How did Mussolini turn Italy into a totalitarian State?
Benito Mussolini was born in 1883, and was Italy’s Fascist leader until his death in 1943. He was the son of a socialist blacksmith so he grew up with strong left-wing beliefs. Like his father, Benito too joined the Italian Socialist Party. After a brief period as a teacher, Mussolini began to concentrate on journalism and became the editor of “Avanti”, the paper of the Socialist Party. In 1912, with the outbreak of the war, Mussolini had a change of ideals as he believed Italy should join the Allies in the Great War. As a result, he was forced to resign from the party in 1914. He founded his own newspaper in 1915 entitled “Il Popolo d’Italia”. He joined the army in 1915 but was injured in 1917 and thus could return home where he got back to journalism. He founded the “Fascio di Combaltimerto” in 1919.
The Fascists numbers increased in 1920 and the Blackshirts, the paramilitary wing of them, became powerful. The wealthy began to follow Mussolini in fear of Communism which too was growing and spreading west. With ever increasing power Mussolini decided to stage a march on Rome on October 28, 1922 to seize power. King Victor Emmanuel feared this would lead to civil war so Mussolini was offered a post in the government, but he refused it. The Prime Minister, Facta, asked the King to impose martial law with 30,000 mobile Fascists making their way to Rome. The King refused, he sacked Facta as Prime Minster and asked Mussolini to replace him. This was the start of Mussolini’s power. He formed a coalition government of only four Fascists.
In 1923, Mussolini introduced the Aerbo Bill. This stated that the party with the greatest number of votes would be entitled to 2/3 of the seats. In 1923, he turned his Fascists squads into a legal militia called MVSN. Possibly due to fear and intimidation, Mussolini achieved 64% in the national polls. In 1924, Giacomo Martteotti, the leader of the
Benito Mussolini was born in 1883, and was Italy’s Fascist leader until his death in 1943. He was the son of a socialist blacksmith so he grew up with strong left-wing beliefs. Like his father, Benito too joined the Italian Socialist Party. After a brief period as a teacher, Mussolini began to concentrate on journalism and became the editor of “Avanti”, the paper of the Socialist Party. In 1912, with the outbreak of the war, Mussolini had a change of ideals as he believed Italy should join the Allies in the Great War. As a result, he was forced to resign from the party in 1914. He founded his own newspaper in 1915 entitled “Il Popolo d’Italia”. He joined the army in 1915 but was injured in 1917 and thus could return home where he got back to journalism. He founded the “Fascio di Combaltimerto” in 1919.
The Fascists numbers increased in 1920 and the Blackshirts, the paramilitary wing of them, became powerful. The wealthy began to follow Mussolini in fear of Communism which too was growing and spreading west. With ever increasing power Mussolini decided to stage a march on Rome on October 28, 1922 to seize power. King Victor Emmanuel feared this would lead to civil war so Mussolini was offered a post in the government, but he refused it. The Prime Minister, Facta, asked the King to impose martial law with 30,000 mobile Fascists making their way to Rome. The King refused, he sacked Facta as Prime Minster and asked Mussolini to replace him. This was the start of Mussolini’s power. He formed a coalition government of only four Fascists.
In 1923, Mussolini introduced the Aerbo Bill. This stated that the party with the greatest number of votes would be entitled to 2/3 of the seats. In 1923, he turned his Fascists squads into a legal militia called MVSN. Possibly due to fear and intimidation, Mussolini achieved 64% in the national polls. In 1924, Giacomo Martteotti, the leader of the