Over the next few years, Mussolini banned all political parties and curtailed personal liberties, thus forming a dictatorship. These actions attracted international attention and eventually inspired similar dictatorships such as Nazi Germany and Francoist Spain. In , Italy annexed Albania, a de facto protectorate for decades. The blackshirts clashed with communists, socialists, and anarchists at parades and demonstrations; all of these factions were also involved in clashes against each other.
The Fascisti grew rapidly, within two years transforming themselves into the National Fascist Party at a congress in Rome. In Mussolini won election to the Chamber of Deputies for the first time.
In the night between October , , about 30, Fascist blackshirts gathered in Rome to demand the resignation of liberal Prime Minister Luigi Facta and the appointment of a new Fascist government.
The King then handed over power to Mussolini who stayed in his headquarters in Milan during the talks by asking him to form a new government. The Fascists made up a small minority in his original governments. To that end, Mussolini obtained from the legislature dictatorial powers for one year legal under the Italian constitution of the time.
He favored the complete restoration of state authority with the integration of the Fasci di Combattimento into the armed forces the foundation in January of the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale and the progressive identification of the party with the state.
In political and social economy, he passed legislation that favored the wealthy industrial and agrarian classes privatizations, liberalizations of rent laws, and dismantlement of the unions. Between and , Mussolini progressively dismantled virtually all constitutional and conventional restraints on his power, thereby building a police state.
Thereafter he began styling himself as Il Duce the leader. Hitler was appointed chancellor on January 30th He only gained what could be described as dictatorial powers after the Lateran Treaty whereby he could guarantee loyalty from those Catholics who may well have not been supporters of the fascist state in Italy. Mussolini took years to achieve what could be defined as a dictatorship.
He achieved some semblance of power after the March on Rome in when he was appointed Prime Minister of Italy. But his time in power almost collapsed after the murder of Matteotti when great anger gripped Italy. If he had been a true dictator in , then such an uproar would never have happened as his enemies and the Italian people in general would have been cowed into submission. Mussolini started his time in power by buying support from both the working class and the industrial bosses.
The workers were promised an eight hour day while an enquiry into the profits made by the industrialists during World War One was dropped. The rich benefited from a reduction in death duties — now, under Mussolini, more of what someone had earned during their lifetime, went to their family and not the government. To get support from the Roman Catholic Church , religious education was made compulsory in all elementary schools.
As an example, in Hitler introduced workers holidays into Germany similar to a bank holiday. This was very popular. He then almost immediately banned trade unions which protected workers rights.
Any protests over this were banned as a result of the Enabling Act — Hitler did not bargain with anyone. Mussolini was not in a position whereby he could assert his authority and it is probable that the extent of his dictatorial powers never did equal those acquired by Hitler.
Mussolini had never intended to share power with the liberals who were in the government. He introduced a Fascist Grand Council which would decide policy for Italy without consulting the non-fascists in the government first. This law changed election results. When it came for Parliament to vote on the Acerbo Law, many politicians agreed to a law that would almost certainly end their political careers if they were not fascists. Why did they do this? The gallery in the hall in which the politicians voted was filled with armed fascist thugs who had a good view of anybody who spoke out against the law.
The threat was clear and real. By October , Italy seemed to be slipping into political chaos. The Black Shirts marched on Rome and Mussolini presented himself as the only man capable of restoring order.
King Victor Emmanuel invited Mussolini to form a government. Mussolini gradually dismantled the institutions of democratic government and in made himself dictator, taking the title 'Il Duce'. He set about attempting to re-establish Italy as a great European power. The regime was held together by strong state control and Mussolini's cult of personality. He provided military support to Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
Increasing co-operation with Nazi Germany culminated in the Pact of Steel. Influenced by Hitler, Mussolini began to introduce anti-Jewish legislation in Italy. His declaration of war on Britain and France in June exposed Italian military weakness and was followed by a series of defeats in North and East Africa and the Balkans.
In July , Allied troops landed in Sicily.
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