Only 35 facists in the 535 member Chamber of Deputies.
Facism = 7% of supporters
Previous Italian governments only lasted for 2 years, Mussolini faced the same.
Mussolini had no detailed programme of policies and little experience of running anything.
Mussolini's supporters were split between moderates and radicals, so he had to satisfy two sphere's of political beliefs in order to obtain votes.
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How he overcame his problems.
Mussolini achieved a balance between radicals who favoured violent seizure of power.
And the facist movement who wanted power to gained through legal means.
To gain support and popularity he used force and bribery.
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Mussolini's success.
July 1923 the chamber passed the Acerbo law by 303 to 40. Henceforth, the party gained most votes in an election ( 25% of votes, 2/3 of the seats)
1924, Socialist opponents had been weakened by their failure to exploit their strength in 1920-21 and violent facist onslaught in 1921-22.
Socialists and Catholics were reduced by 50 deputies.
Some facists were allowed to vote several times each.
Lyttleton: The use of violence, police repression and electoral fraud was on such a large scale that the expression of popular will was radically falsified.
The RAS had free hand in intimidating the opponents in the small towns.
November 1922, Parliament granted him limited emergency powers for 1 year to deal with the Italy's problems.
His 1st political action was the he moved Italy to an Autoriatarian society.
He made some concessions to the church and passed measures favourable to industrialist and agrarians.
Created 2 new facist bodies: 1. Facist Grand Council.
2. New Militia.
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Historian's view of Mussolini's success.
The political opponents of Mussolin did not act as they were waiting for the King's permission to do so.
Socialism in italy was not extreme
Despite his depression, he had support from key groups: Industrialists, Church and the king
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Why did Mussolini come to power so much more quick
Mussolini had been appointed prime minister of Italy on 29 October 1922, Hitler achieved equivalent ( German office of Chancellor) on 31 January 1933.
Due to facisms new ideologies it made it difficult for italian politicians to understand it and appreciate the danger it posed to existing parliamentary institutions in Italy
In 1921, Facists managed to win 25 seats in Parliament.
Germany was a defeated nation, humiliated by imposition of the treaty of versailles peace settlement and econmic and territorial losse which it entailed.
Germany who went through 'traumatic' political change, from rule by Kaiser Wilheim II to a 'fully-fledged' democratic republic.
The fear of Bolshevism grew and there were several attempts by communists to seize power in Germany.
Hyper-inflation of 1923 made money virtually worthless in Germany.
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