Fascism in Italy means the totalitarian policy of state capitalism, which was carried out from 1922 to 1943. Its organizer and leader was the prime minister of the country.
Fascism: definition
The term has a dual origin. From Italian fascio translates as "league". From Latin - “bunch”. He acted as a symbol of the ancient Roman administration. The leader of Italian fascism - the Prime Minister of the country - made fascia a distinctive sign of his party. Starting his activities, he sought to restore the Roman Empire. Fascia was adopted in 1919. It is believed that from this moment fascism arose. A definition in the scientific literature calls it a syncretic control model. On its basis, other directions subsequently formed.
Basic movements
Fascism and Nazism actively spread in the 20th century. Many of their varieties did not have common philosophical and political features. The ideological, cultural and tactical principles were not the same. At the initial stage, fascism and Nazism in various manifestations arose all over the world. Under the leadership of Hitler, a movement appeared in Germany. At the same time, peronism took shape in Argentina, the Iron Guard arose in Romania, phalangism arose in Spain, integralism in Brazil, and statism in Japan. In Hungary, "Crossed Arrows" formed, and so on.
Important point
Before the start of World War II, the Nazis believed that their activities were based on uniform philosophical principles. Each movement had its own leader. The system assumed a one-party system. And ideas were based on social Darwinism, elitism. However, each government sought to adhere to discrete fascism regarding its nation. For example, in Portugal a clerical-corporate state emerged led by Salazar. In Spain, the Union of Phalangists developed. By 1945, most of the fascist governments were isolated from Nazism. So they tried to exclude the equating of their ideas with the Hitler model.
Theoretical base
Key ideas of the system were presented in the Doctrine. Its author was Giovanni Gentile. He acted as the founder of the doctrine of actualistic idealism. Giovanni Gentile proclaimed in his Doctrine a world of action in the human sphere. He argued that people cannot exist without war. The Eternal World was rejected as something fantastic.
Prerequisites for the occurrence
The reasons for the Nazis to come to power in Italy lie in the socio-economic situation at that time. The consequences of a severe war for the country were extremely negative. Previously existing social, political, economic problems were not only not resolved, but, on the contrary, were even more aggravated. The country never received the promised land in the Balkans. Huge material and human sacrifices turned out to be meaningless. The direct result of the war was the ruin of the economic sector. There was a production decline, an increase in external debt, and an increase in unemployment. The situation of workers has worsened dramatically, which led to a sharp surge in the democratic and labor movement, as well as the crisis of 1919-1920.
The most popular slogan among the protesters was the call: "Make it like in Russia." The revolution of 1917 was meant. In Italy, ideas about the nationalization of enterprises and the establishment of the dictatorship of workers began to spread rapidly. Already in the autumn of 1920, workers began to seize factories in the north of the country, introducing workers' production control on them. In the south, poor peasants and farm laborers intensified. In this situation, the positions of the Socialist Party quickly strengthened. She became the largest political movement in the country. But because of the indecision of leadership in the party, a split occurred. In 1921, the left wing departed from it. It formed the Communist Party.
The Nazis came to power in Italy
The year 1919 is considered the starting point for the start of the new movement. In March, the constituent assembly of the “Combat Unions” party was held. It was led by Benito (Duce) Mussolini. He was expelled from the socialist movement and united the frustrated front-line soldiers, part of the intelligentsia, students, representatives of the petty bourgeoisie, various marginals with unclear political views. Criminal elements were also present in his movement. All of these people were united by hatred of socialism and the labor movement.
At first, the number of participants was small. But the leaders of the movement well guessed the mood of the masses. The arrival of fascists in Italy to power became possible due to the active use of social demagogy, speculation on popular slogans at that time. Party leaders made loud promises, trying to gain the trust of different layers and classes. By the fall of 1919, armed groups began to appear. Their members began terror against trade union activists and socialists. Despite the demagogic promises made by Duce Mussolini, representatives of the big bourgeoisie saw the movement as a force that could suppress the activity of workers, protect property and restore order in the country, paying attention to the interests of the elites. In November 1921, the formation of the National Fascist Party was proclaimed at the congress of the movement. In the published program, the key point was the idea of "greatness of the people."
The features of Italian fascism consisted in the fact that all sectors of the population should serve the achievement of the set goals. For this, in turn, between them it was necessary to establish peace. In this connection, the Communists and Socialists, who called for the struggle of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie, were declared enemies of national unity. Active party funding began. She was supported by large landowners, bankers, industrialists. They believed that the Nazi rise to power in Italy would protect their interests, destroy the labor movement, and force the workers to obey. With the approval of representatives of the elites, the party leader issued an ultimatum to the current government and organized a campaign of armed detachments against Rome. On October 30, 1922, the King appointed Mussolini as Prime Minister.
Movement activities
The arrival of the Nazis in Italy rejected the majority of the population. In the early stages, the position of the party was very unstable. However, almost immediately, the American monopolies came to their aid. The United States graciously wrote off Italy's military debt by 80.2%. At the same time, a record low percentage of 0.4% was set for the remaining amount. Immediately after that, in 1925, Morgan Bank granted a loan of $ 100 million, followed by several more loans. Due to the fact that the main goal of the Versailles-Washington system was the anti-Soviet movement, the advent of fascists in Italy to power made it possible to "save Europe from communism." That is why the regime of the Prime Minister "deserved financial assistance."
Universal recognition
Mussolini was considered a hero, a fighter against communism. US Ambassador Child (one of America’s largest diplomats), the Prime Minister was introduced to the world as the greatest figure of the time. Similar statements came from the lips of another prominent American politician - Butler. He considered the Prime Minister the greatest statesman of the 20th century. Secretary of State, and then member of the US Armed Forces, C. Hughes, during the crisis of 1929-1933. He said that the country needed “its Mussolini” to solve the existing political and economic difficulties. At the beginning of 1927, Churchill also visited Rome. He was impressed by the visit and fascinated by Mussolini.
Brief historical background
Mussolini was born in 1883. He was from a blacksmith family. Machiavelli was his spiritual guide. In real life, Benito Mussolini soon came into conflict with society. The fact is that he was offered the modest work of a teacher in elementary school, while he strove to become Caesar. At the age of 20, evading military service, Mussolini fled to Switzerland. Here he consistently considered himself a socialist, then anarchist, then atheist, and so on. He lived poorly enough. He stole a lot. Then he went to prison, was expelled from Switzerland, moved to Austria.
Political Activities Benito
In 1905, as an amnestied deserter, he returned to his homeland. Having joined the socialist party, Mussolini quickly made a career. Twice he went to prison (short term). The same number of times left wives with children. In 1914, Mussolini became the editor of the socialist body, and subsequently organized his own newspaper, ardently defending the ideas of the Entente. After the war in Italy, a powerful popular revolutionary movement was born. At this moment, the future Prime Minister offers his services to the capitalists and landlords. With their financial support, he gathers bandits and hooligans into groups - the so-called fascist police. In October 1922 he organized the legendary "campaign against Rome." A crowd of 8 thousand black shirts moved to the capital. The government was in a panic, and Mussolini was waiting for the outcome in the editorial office, located in Milan. A telegram suddenly came from Rome, in which the king asked him to become prime minister.
Conclusion
Within the framework of the Versailles-Washington system, the role of countries that were to fulfill the role of the "fist" of the international reaction against the USSR was predetermined. It was primarily about Germany and other powers whose governments considered themselves to some extent deprived at a peace conference. Among them was Italy. The turbid wave of the new movement, which began in it in the twenties, seemed to the imperialists a reliable guarantee not only that these powers would act as the vanguard of the anti-Soviet approach. These states were to become faithful executors of the world capitalist will.
Already in the 1920s, the policy of "democratic" countries was clearly defined. All their actions were aimed at creating conditions for the attack of the so-called performers on the USSR. At the same time, the capitalist powers themselves had to stay away, at least in the initial stages of the war. It should be said that Italy never played the first violin in the orchestra of European countries. The state was not distinguished by great industrial potential, had an uncomfortable geographical position. All this significantly limited the military capabilities of fascism in Italy.