How important were economic factors in the rise of fascist movements in inter-war Europe? Italy

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  • Created by: Alasdair
  • Created on: 28-05-18 22:12
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  • How important were economic factors in the rise of fascist movements in inter-war Europe? Italy
    • Thompson on fascist movement in Italy
      • Indirect economic connection
      • Left-wing surge in 1920 with factory occupations and actions by peasants to curb power of landlords
        • 1921 saw fascist counterattack
      • Populist resources would have been ineffective without establishment backing allowing Mussolini to force his way into premiership in 1922
        • e.g. campaign against left in 1921 assisted and underpinned by police and military
          • provided small arms and road transport vehicles (particularly important) and on occasion artillery
          • October 1922, stood aside during farcical  'March on Rome' which they could have suppressed without difficulty
          • Persuaded King to call on Mussolini to form a government which their political representatives happily entered
      • Fascist movement financially supported by bloc of landowners, industrialists and bankers
    • Denis Mack Smith on Italian Fascist Movement
      • 'Fascism was a party not of ideas and doctrines but of action'
      • '[Mussolini's] followers were a gang of truculent and ambitious men who wanted power, and were backed
      • and were backed by some intelligent and influential members of society, who saw the usefulness of such rowdies in helping to suppress socialism, curtail parliamentary liberties, and if possible make the name of Italy feared abroad.'

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