What type of dictatorship was italy

Mussolini agreed with Gentile that the strong nations of the world had a natural right to subdue and rule the weak. Mussolini glorified military values like physical strength, discipline, obedience, and courage. In , Mussolini ordered the invasion of Ethiopia, a poor African country that had once humiliated Italy in battle. Seeking revenge, Mussolini used planes, artillery, and poison gas against tribesmen with old muskets.

Mussolini announced to cheering crowds that the Roman Empire was back. Mussolini, however, delayed joining Hitler until Nazi troops were just about to defeat France in June Mussolini then decided to invade Greece. But his army was beaten badly and had to be rescued by German troops. The harsh winter and Soviet guerilla fighters killed huge numbers of German and Italian soldiers. The Italian people had had enough and abandoned Il Duce.

King Victor Emmanuel ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Mussolini after his own Grand Council voted for him to resign. German commandos, however, helped him escape to Germany. Mussolini returned to Italy and established a new fascist regime in the north near Milan, an area that the Germans had occupied. But he was merely a puppet of the Nazis. When the Allies neared Milan, Mussolini tried to escape. But anti-fascist Italian fighters captured and shot him on April 28, Mussolini inspired others to develop their own versions of fascism.

In , Francisco Franco established the Spanish state with some fascist elements. Other fascist or fascist-like regimes rose and fell in Japan, Argentina, South Africa, Greece, and Iraq among other countries. Fascist movements took root even in democracies. Today, variations of fascism live on in a number of military dictatorships around the world.

These groups typically preach ultranationalism and spew hatred of racial or ethnic minorities. While the idea of a unified nation under a fascist state probably died with Mussolini, the extreme racist forms of fascism, empowered by the Internet, are alive and well throughout the world. Why did Gentile and Mussolini believe that war was an essential part of the fascist state?

Layton, Julia. The terms have lost much meaning, other than as insults. Even scholars have difficulty in agreeing on a definition of fascism. But as the article notes, scholars do agree on several common characteristics of fascism. In this activity, you are going to use these characteristics to judge whether particular governments are fascist.

Form small groups and review the characteristics of fascism at the beginning of the article. Each group should discuss and decide each of the hypothetical cases below whether each is an example of a totally, mostly, somewhat, or non fascist state. Case 1: The government of Surs is ruled by one party, whose council of selects the supreme leader. The people vote in other elections, but only one person is on the ballot for each office, as the party nominates all those running.

The supreme leader has complete control of the society. The government owns all the major businesses and runs them in the name of the people. Religious worship is discouraged: No party member belongs to a religious organization.

The prisons are filled with political prisoners. Case 2: The supreme leader of Railkine makes most political decisions and heads the armed forces. The Assembly of Religious Leaders elects him from the clergy and may remove him. It also approves all candidates running for parliament. The assembly may also veto laws passed by parliament if they go against religious law.

The supreme leader has outlawed political parties, closed newspapers, imprisoned dissenters, banned other religions, suppressed minorities, put requirements on how women should dress, and even outlawed dancing. The supreme leader is building up the military and neighboring countries fear that Railkine will invade and impose its form of government. Case 3: New Sed is a country with a parliament and a strong tradition of political and religious freedom. The threat was clear and real.

If you voted for the law, you would be fine. If you did not, then you were certainly in danger from fascist thugs. Mussolini as he wished to be seen — in military uniform and a formidable figure. Hitler used very similar tactics when the vote for the Enabling Act was taken at the Kroll Opera House in Berlin — SA thugs gathered outside the Opera House while the SS lined the corridors to the main hall where the voting was to take place.

Again, the threat was clear to any politician who was brave enough to protest against the law. That people were intimidated into voting for the Fascists or that the Fascists took ballot papers from those who might have voted against Mussolini were brushed aside. The Fascists who were elected were bound to support Mussolini. In this sense, the Acerbo Law was an important move to dictatorship in Italy. However, unlike Hitler, even after the Acerbo Law was passed, Mussolini still faced open criticism in Italy.

The fear element that Hitler had created in Nazi Germany by April , was still not in place in Italy. Blackshirt thugs did beat up critics but that did not stop Giacomo Matteotti from publicly condemning Mussolini. Matteotti was murdered almost certainly by fascists and Mussolini was held responsible for this.

Newspapers and wall posters condemned Mussolini and in the summer of there was a real possibility that Mussolini would have to resign. A number of non-fascist politicians walked out of Parliament in protest at the murder. The protestors — named the Aventine protestors — appealed to the king, Victor Emmanuel, to dismiss Mussolini but the king disliked the protestors more than Mussolini because they lent towards republicanism and he refused to take action.

With this royal support, Mussolini felt strong enough to take on his opponents. Any critics of Mussolini were beaten up and newspapers that were not supportive of the Fascists were shut down. In January , Mussolini said the following:. After surviving the Matteotti affair, Mussolini slowly introduced the classic features of a dictatorship.

But this was now nearly three years after the March on Rome. In November , all rival political parties and opposition newspapers were banned in Italy. His mother, Rosa Maltoni , was a devout Catholic teacher who provided the family with some stability and income. The eldest of three children, Mussolini showed much intelligence as a youth but was boisterous and disobedient.

His father instilled in him a passion for socialist politics and defiance against authority. Though he was expelled from several schools for bullying and defying school authorities, he eventually obtained a teaching certificate in and, for a brief time, worked as a schoolmaster. In , Mussolini moved to Switzerland to promote socialism. He quickly gained a reputation for his magnetism and remarkable rhetorical talents.

While engaging in political demonstrations, he caught the attention of Swiss authorities and was eventually expelled from the country. Mussolini returned to Italy in and continued promoting a socialist agenda.

He was briefly imprisoned and, upon release, became editor of the organization's newspaper, Avanti meaning "Forward" , which gave him a larger megaphone and expanded his influence. While Mussolini initially condemned Italy's entry into World War I , he soon saw the war as an opportunity for his country to become a great power. His change in attitude broke ties with fellow socialists, and he was expelled from the organization. In , Mussolini joined the Italian army and fought on the front lines, reaching the rank of corporal before being wounded and discharged from the military.

On March 23, , Mussolini founded the Fascist Party , which organized several right-wing groups into a single force. The fascist movement proclaimed opposition to social class discrimination and supported nationalist sentiments. Mussolini hoped to raise Italy to levels of its great Roman past.

Mussolini criticized the Italian government for weakness at the Treaty of Versailles. Capitalizing on public discontent following World War I, he organized a paramilitary unit known as the "Black Shirts," who terrorized political opponents and helped increase Fascist influence.

As Italy slipped into political chaos, Mussolini declared that only he could restore order and was given the authority in as prime minister. He gradually dismantled all democratic institutions. By , he had made himself dictator, taking the title "Il Duce" "the Leader".

To his credit, Mussolini carried out an extensive public works program and reduced unemployment, making him very popular with the people. In , determined to show the strength of his regime, Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia.