Rise+of+Fascism+in+Italy

Rafiq, Adham

"Mussolini's Italy achieved all facets needed to maintain fascist totalitarian control."

Assess the validity of this statement, using specific examples from the regime to support your position.

Characteristics of Fascism:


 * use of patriotic symbols, slogans, songs
 * ignorance of human rights
 * one party nation (eliminate opposition by all means)
 * domestic agenda is ignored in order to publicize military strength and imperial ambitions
 * state is ultimate guardian of the "nuclear family" (abortion and divorce are suppressed)
 * mass censorship, control of mass media- indirect or direct, and #|consolidation of power
 * government uses the most common religion to program public opinion into a unified belief
 * Industrial & other business companies are protected
 * law enforcement is given limitless power, and the people ignore civil liberties in the name of patriotism. Often a national police force

Facets of the Mussolini Regime that makes it Fascist:
 * symbol of state was a bundle of sticks tied together. Major slogan was: "Mussolini ha sempre ragione" or "Mussolini is always right." Shows how he manipulated people's minds. He contradicted himself all the time yet not many realized it.
 * examples of violations are the use of mustard gas, and torture treatment to POWs of Ethopia. Attacked the workers and their labor unions physically
 * eliminated all opposition through indirect hitmen and connections with pre-Mafia groups rising in Italy
 * Mussolini organized military events and parades to perform different march formations
 * criminalized abortion and divorce heavily
 * burned non-cooperative newspaper offices such as his old employer Avanti!, reviewed all articles that were pending to be published. Eliminated all checks and balances of his power, abolished parliamentary elections, officials would win by plebiscite. Sole person able to determine Parliament's agenda.
 * Lateran Accords established Catholicism as the religion of Italy, yet Mussolini was a confident Atheist
 * launched public construction programs, "The Battle for Grain" witnessed 5,000 new farms and five agricultural towns established, pushed for government control of company and by 1935, 3/4 of Italian businesses were under state control. Same year, he issued several edicts to further control of the economy, forcing all banks, businesses, and private #|citizens to give up all their foreign-issued #|stocks and bonds to the Bank of Italy. In 1938, he instituted wage and price controls, and successfully stabilized the economy and taken Italy out of near-depression
 * OVRA was secret police force
 * Blackshirts were larger army numbered around 200,000