What is Italian fascism
Italian fascism was a totalitarian political movement, led by Benito Mussolini. It developed between 1920 and 1943, especially after the political and economic crisis generated by the First World War. Italy was the first fascist state in history.
Fascism was an ideology that reconciled various policies that exalt nationalism and central totalitarianism. However, he did not identify with either the political ideals of the right or the left.
On the contrary, it consisted of exalting the idea of the nation before the individual, promoting violence, one-partyism and limiting freedom of expression.
Italian fascism emerged as a political-cultural response that responded to the deep economic and political crisis faced by the Kingdom of Italy after the First World War.
It was presented as a political “third position.” Its purpose was to respond to the changes facing Western civilization such as the class struggle, the loss of European influence, the fight against the Bolsheviks or the emergence of the intellectual and artistic avant-garde, among others.
This third position was a political alternative that was characterized by being a position contrary to capitalism and communism. Its intention was to promote ultranationalism and centralism.
Italian fascism has been the role model, throughout the 20th century, of many political systems that are characterized by being nationalist, revolutionary and having charismatic and populist leaders.
Origin of Italian fascism
The post-war crisis in Italy gave rise to the militants of patriotic groups, former trade unionists and other agitators to regroup again to defend radical nationalist ideas.
The poet Gabrielle D’Annunzio was among the first to lead these movements. It was thus that he founded the Free State of Fiume (1920), and drafted a constitution in which he notably exposed his fascist tendency.
For his part, Benito Mussolini took advantage of the poverty and political crisis of his country to refound in March 1919, in Milan, the Italian fascis di combattimento (in Spanish, Italian combat Fascios), known as fascists. The following years were characterized by being very violent.
Fascist violence
Fascist groups, backed by landowners and various members of the middle class, provoked numerous violent confrontations against the labor and economic conditions faced by the Italian people.
Much of these attacks occurred in the northern part of Italy and were led by the squads of “black shirts”. These groups especially attacked left-wing parties that supported socialism and communism, all those they considered political enemies, and union organizations.
Creation of the National Fascist Party
In 1921, Mussolini converted the Italian fascis di combattimento in the National Fascist Party (PNF), and from that moment on he also became known as Duce (Leader). This was the only legal political formation in Italy between 1925 and 1943, considered the maximum representation of Italian fascism.
March to Rome
In October 1922, Mussolini called on PNF and Blackshirt militants to carry out violent acts throughout the country. Faced with the passivity of the military and police forces, the fascists headed towards Rome to take power and leave it in the hands of Mussolinni.
This is known as the “March to Rome,” which ended the Italian parliamentary system and began the fascist regime that led to a totalitarian dictatorship.
Mussolini’s rise to power
On October 25, after pressure from the Blackshirts, King Victor Emmanuel III called Benito Mussolini to power. His intention was to avoid a civil war and try to stop his actions. However, Mussolini demanded to be the head of government and the king had to agree to his request. On October 30, 1922, Mussolini formed his government as prime minister.
Characteristics of Italian fascism
The nation over the individual
The most important thing for fascism was to defend and fight for the nation. The figure of the individual was displaced and suppressed by limiting his freedom.
Totalitarianism
It was a dictatorial and totalitarian system of government whose leader was characterized by being charismatic and having the power to regulate all areas of human development to impose his ideology and control. For example, education, creation of laws, public entities, the media, etc.
Corporatism
A single union was established that brought together all the unions, which had to follow the orders of the fascist leader.
Use of violence
The fascists reinforced the vision that through violent struggle they could achieve power. Paramilitary violence with the Blackshirts was an effective tool.
Limited freedoms
Freedom of expression was censored. The media were used to expose Mussolini’s fascist propaganda and slogans.
Freedom of association was also censored, which caused the near extinction of anti-fascist movements and the prohibition of strikes because they were considered illegal. Even Freemasonry was banned.
One-party system
The National Fascist Party based its foundations on Italian nationalism, it was the only legal party and the highest representation of Italian fascism.
Suspension of elections
The fascist government annulled the elections, for this reason, during the time that Benito Mussolini ruled in Italy, no elections of any kind were held. The people did not have the right to vote.
Illegalization of opposition parties
Political organizations were dissolved, so trade union parties and other opposition political parties disappeared. The National Fascist Party was the only political party considered legal.
Repressive judicial system
Through the Special State Defense Court, all those who opposed fascism were tried. Many opponents were imprisoned on distant islands, others were exiled, there were even those who received the death penalty.
Absolute dominance of public life
The National Fascist Party managed to dominate almost all aspects of Italian life (work, education, leisure activities, etc.), especially after 1930, when Mussolini had greater control of power.
Excessive use of propaganda
Mussolini’s popularity was strengthened through continuous propaganda that displayed the political, economic, cultural and sporting plans to be carried out.
Fascist Italianization
Ethnic minorities were considered an impediment to creating a fully Italian state. This gave way to fascist Italianization, which consisted of forcing citizens of foreign origin to adopt the Italian culture and language.
Expansionism
Italian fascism founded the idea of expanding its political power over other territories abroad, such as the invasion of Ethiopia (1935-1936) or Albania (1939).
Symbol of Italian fascism
Italian fascism had as its representative symbol the fasces or bundle of lictors (public officials of classical Rome). The symbol is composed of the union of 30 wooden sticks, tied in the shape of a cylinder with a red leather ribbon, which hold an axe.
It is a symbol that represents the strength of union, and has been used by different political organizations, from ancient Rome to Italian fascism.
Likewise, Italian fascist groups used black uniforms, especially the Black Shirts, inspired by the arditi (elite stormtroopers in World War I). The color black represented death.
Consequences of Italian fascism
It gave rise to German Nazism
Italian fascism predates German Nazism, whose leader Adolf Hitler took a much more radical anti-Semitic stance than Mussolini.
Participation in World War II
Mussolini and Hitler became allies during the war. However, many Italians did not support such an alliance. Italy participated and the result was a military disaster given the number of defeats, as well as the lack of weapons and economic resources to support the troops.
Fascism in Latin America
Italian fascism also reached Latin America, where various political leaders imposed highly repressive military dictatorships.
The dictatorships of the Dominican Republic by Rafael Leónidas Trujillo (1930-1961), the Chilean dictatorship imposed by Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) or the dictatorship in Paraguay imposed by Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989), among others, stand out.
Historic context
During the First World War, the Kingdom of Italy was part of the Triple Entente to fight against the Central Powers (German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire and Ottoman Empire).
France and the Kingdom of Brittany and Ireland had offered the Kingdom of Italy to grant it territories of the defeated empires. However, they did not keep his word, and in the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye Italian economic and military support was considered to have been less compared to the other Allied countries.
This situation generated widespread discontent among Italians and had an impact on the refoundation of the fascist organization in Milan, at the time led by Benito Mussolini. However, fascist organizations date back to the late 19th century.
After the end of the First World War, Italy faced a great economic, political and social crisis that lasted approximately between the years 1920 and 1930.
During this period there were numerous violent confrontations led by the fascist movement and which promoted Mussolini’s leadership, bringing him to power and imposing a fascist dictatorship.
In July 1943, following the request of the Fascist Grand Council, King Victor Emmanuel III removed Mussolini from his position as prime minister and was replaced by Pietro Badoglio.
Then followed 20 months of war that led to the end of Italian fascism and the division of the country, to the north the Italian Social Republic and to the south the Kingdom of Italy.
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