Rise of Mussolini

Mussolini- editor of Il Popolo d'Italia - shared D'Annuzio's contempt for liberalism and hatred of socialism 

Fascism founded as an political movement March 1919- Fasci di combattimento - believed in working getting a share of what they work for 

- wanted to tax the wealthy and control their wealth 

- hated socialism and liberalism

-represented nationalists, anarchists, republicans- he had to prove to the industralists and the itlaian publci that liberalism was finished and the fascists would stop the socialists 

failed in November 1919 election- Mussolini failed to become a deputy- polled only 5000 out of the 270,000 votes cast in Milan - by the end of the year only 4000 declared fascists supporters 

Liberals only gained 180 out of 508 seats and they still lacked cohesion and party discipline- The Chamber of Deputies designed to protect and promote liberalisms contained revolutionary Socialist Party holding 156 seats and the PPI witn 100 seats 

- led by Francesco Nitti- relied on Catholic deputies to maintain its fragile majoirty resigned and was replaced by Giolitti - the attempt of trasformismo to appeal to the left and the right> Liberals, Popolari and a handful of moderate socialists joined his new coalition but the majority Socialists remianed hostile 

Giolitti was anti-clericas but had to rely on Catholic support in the Chamber od Deputies to keep is government in power 

discredited by Fiume/ 

- PPI/Popolari founded Jan 1919 - when the Pope lifted his ban on the formulation on Catholic political parties- determined to improve the lot of peasantry - remained suspicious of liberalism and did not forgive the Liberals' disputes with the Pope during the unification of Italy

- 

wave of middle classes student and demobilised solders  such as ex army officers, corporals and sergeants - joining fascist squads 

their anti-socialist sentiment early 1920's began to attract many followers 

fascism attracted the young- almst 2% of members were students and 25% were below the voting age 

elite  groups began to support fascism > they noticed the fascist ability to intimdate socialists 

Agrari and landowners hated socialists > socialisrs talk of collectivsation angered them 

By end of 1922, 20,000 active  supporters, 50% ex-servicemen, shopkeepers, teaches, landowners 

Fascists and Giolitti's Liberals cooperated during the general election held in 1921

fascist squads killed about 100 socialist sympathisers during the election campaign 

socialists remained the largest party in the Chamber holding 123 seats> followed by the Popolari with 107 > Fascists had secured  7% of the total vote and won 35 seats and Mussolini was now a deputy 

Government instability- Popolari withdrawn support from Giolitti's coalition and it collapsed- divisions within the lIberal party 

Collapse of law and order- Squadrismo continued through 1921 and socialists were attacked- fascists was extended to parliament (socialists deputy beaten up on the floor of the chamber) 

Mussolini increased his control over fascist movement- Mussolini's actions were direct towards making fascism a cohesive political force- established PNF October 1921- November 1921 Mussolini accepted as leader - Fascism now a recognised political party not just a movement- Mussolini estabkished more ocntorl over squads that terrorists socialists in agricuktural areas of Emilia and the Romagna. 

November 1921 Mussolni attempted to win support of the Cathoics - declared fascism would oppose divore in agreement with the Popolari  that the peasants desered a better deal (he was also prepared to settle the Roman question on the terms acceptable to the Pope) - he did this to appeal to the CONSERVATIVES- he began to distance himself from the radiical idea during 1920> Mussolini's stressinng its patriotism and commitment to strong government 

Fascsist violence- Mussolini was ocncerned with the increasing Fascist violence 

General strike - July 1921 socialist trade union called a general union in an attempt to force the government to act against the Fascists- it was poorly organised- 

March on Rome - October 1922 

30,000 fascist went into the capital- organised into a militia - fascists squads organised a coup d'etat - Many fascists wanted to try to seize power at the end of the general strike- plans were drawn up to a seize town halls and railways stations in important cities in the tnorthern (Bolgna) and central Italy. 

King avoided invoking Martial law after the march on rome and chose to give Mussolini and the fascists a position in the govenrnment. > shows Kings lack of confidence in his own government-  wanted to a avoid a civil war.