Fascism and Mussolini

The First World War is over, but there is still chaos in most of Europe. There is poverty and unrest, especially in Italy. The war cost money and lives. Italy was on the winning side, so many people expected Italy to get more territory. That didn’t happen.

Many of the workers have heard about what happened in Russia. There was a revolution there in 1917. It’s said that: There, everyone has an equal say in running things, that the workers own the factories where they work, that there is a classless, equal society, called the Soviet Union and.. there’s a form of socialism called communism! The Italian workers also want this!

They protest. They steal what they need from shops. They occupy factories. They strike! But young black-shirted men attack the striking workers.

They hate communists, and call themselves ‘blackshirts’ and ‘Fascists’. The word fascist comes from ‘fasces’, the Latin word meaning an axe bound to a bundle of sticks: a symbol used by the Roman Empire. The Fascists are a political group founded in 1919 by a war veteran from the Great War, Benito Mussolini. Mussolini encourages the blackshirt violence.. but he himself, doesn’t get involved in it.

The Fascists promise adventure and honour, with catchy slogans like: "It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” Mussolini says: “We’ll rebuild Italy, We’ll make a new Roman Empire!” Mussolini’s enemies are the government, the church, the newspapers, foreigners.. ..and especially.. the communists! Mussolini wants a nationalist society. The Fascists use violence, and murder their political opponents. By the year 1922, they have murdered over 2000 people.

The Fascists take power in several cities, quickly becoming one of Italy’s most powerful political parties. Early October 1922, Mussolini warns the Italian government: "Either you give us power, or we will take it by marching against Rome." The government does not respond. Later that month, 30 000 blackshirts march into the capital city. And on October the 29th, Italy's king, Emanuel III, appoints Benito Mussolini as the new head of government. Mussolini works quickly to build the state he envisages.

He looks after the industry owners and those who have money: the bourgeoisie. By promising to smash communism, he gets support from the bourgeoisie. They are terrified that their private property might be seized, like in the Soviet Union. Mussolini hates the powerful Catholic Church. But he realises that to get real power in Italy, he has to deal with the Pope.

So he offers a deal: If the Pope goes along with Mussolini and the Fascists ruling Italy, then.. the Catholic Church’s headquarters in Rome —Vatican City—can be a separate state, ruled by the Pope. Mussolini ends freedom of the press. He orders new homes and roads to be built, and forests to be cut down, to give Farmers more arable land. Italy should not need to import wheat!

After years of chaos, many Italians long for stability and a strong leader. In Italy, Mussolini is now called simply ‘the leader’: Il Duce! But Mussolini wants to rule not only Italy. He wants to create a new Roman Empire. In 1935, he sends Italian forces into Abyssinia —modern day Ethiopia.

In 1936, he sends 7000 troops to help another nationalist, General Franco in an uprising against the government in Spain. That same year, Mussolini forms an alliance with Hitler: the Rome-Berlin Axis. Japan, which wants control of the Pacific and Far East, then also joins the alliance. Later, Italy, Germany, and Japan will together form: the Axis powers. Fascism spreads beyond Europe.