Early Italian fascism under Mussolini advocated for replacing the monarchy with a republic, weakening the Catholic church, granting land ownership to peasants, taxing the rich, establishing a minimum wage, giving women voting rights, and eliminating communist and Marxist ideas. However, many of these ideas changed or were removed over time. Fascism gained support in postwar Italy because it promoted nationalism and appealed to those dissatisfied with the weak democratic government that failed to solve economic and social issues or achieve territorial gains promised after World War I. Supporters included Mussolini, fascist militias, lower-class workers, and patriotic nationalists.

1. Mussolini’s Early Ideas
Daniel DelaRosa, Chris Hallstrand, Jessiney Regueiro,
Sophia Viteri

2. What is fascism?
● Fascism is difficult to generalize as a single concept like communism.
● In terms of Italian fascism, it is mostly a nationalistic way of thinking. Think
patriotism.
● However, early Italian fascism did want to cover a few basics:
○ Replacing the monarchy with a republic
○ Bringing down the Catholic church
○ Peasant land ownership
○ Taxing the rich
○ Minimum wage
○ Voting rights for women
○ Eliminating any communist or marxist ideas in Italy
● Keep in mind that these are very early concepts for fascism, and some of these
ideas are changed later on or removed entirely by Mussolini.

3. Fascism in Other Countries
● Italian fascism was mostly unique to Italy, with other countries proposing
different ideas for fascism.
● For example, Germany and the Nazis viewed fascism as a more racist and
anti-semitic.
● Another example would be the Sammarinese Fascist Party, which stuck closely
to Italy’s blueprint with some minor changes for industry.

4. How Fascism Evolved in Italy
● Fascist appeal grew due to ideas seeming like solutions to social, economic, and
political issues faced post-war.
● Fascism seemed like the patriotic thing to follow at the time.
● Squadristi movements formed, which went around violently pillaging and killing
socialists.
● By 1921, however, fascism changed to a way of thinking very close to the
Squadristi, with anti-communist ideas flourishing.
● This allowed for the nationalistic approach to appeal to the people, leading into
Mussolini’s reign.

5. Mussolini’s early political ideas and career
● Mussolini became a member of the Socialist party in 1900.
He crossed anarchism with syndicalism,. Mussolini's
socialism was sui generis, a concoction created entirely by
himself. He "specialized" in attacking clericalism, militarism,
and reformism. Mussolini urged revolution at any cost.
● Mussolini occupied several provincial posts as editor and
labor leader until he suddenly emerged in the 1912 Socialist
Party Congress. Shattering all precedent, he became editor
of the party's daily paper, Avanti, at a youthful 29. His
editorial tenure during 1913-1914 abundantly confirmed his
promise.
● He wrote a new journalism, pungent and polemical,
hammered his readership, and injected a new excitement
into Socialist ranks. On the Socialist platform, he spoke
sharply and well, deft in phrase and savage in irony.

6. Mussolini’s early political ideas and career
● Mussolini deserted the Socialist party in 1914 to cross over to the Italian
bourgeoisie. He understood that World War I would bury the old Europe.
● In late 1914 he founded an independent newspaper, Popolo d'Italia, and
backed it up with his own independent movement (Autonomous Fascists).
He drew close to forces in Italian politics which were the radicalized
middle-class youth and made himself their national spokesman.
● Mussolini developed a new program, substituting nationalism for
internationalism, militarism for antimilitarism, and the restoration of the
bourgeois state instead of its revolutionary destruction. He had completely
reversed himself. His newspaper, which he now reinforced with a second
political movement (Revolutionary Fascists), was his main tactic.
● After the end of the war, Mussolini's career ended badly. He organized his
third movement (Constituent Fascists) in 1918, but it was bad. Mussolini ran
for office in the 1919 parliamentary elections but was defeated.

7. To what extent did fascism gain support in Italy
because it was seen as the least bad alternative to
democracy?: Italy before 1919
● Democratic traditions failed to develop in Italy because the government was
controlled by corrupt politicians, called the party bosses. They controlled the
elections by bribing the voters.
● Once they were in power, they were more interested in making personal
gains for themselves than in solving the social and economic problems of the
people.
● By 1914 Italy remained a poor and backward country. The franchise was
limited to 2.5 per cent of the population until after the election of 1913.
● Italy was poor in natural resources and lack of fertile land. Many of the farm
laborers were landless and were often unemployed. Millions of Italians were
forced to emigrate abroad.
● The foreign policy of the Italian governments also lacked the glory days of the
Caesars. Although Italy tried to raise her own international prestige by
acquiring overseas colonies, there was no success.

8. To what extent did fascism gain support
in Italy because it was seen as the least
bad alternative to democracy?: New
Problems after WW1
● The government was faced with many problems after the First World War. The first one was the
Italian dissatisfaction with the territorial settlement made at the Paris Peace Conference. Most of the
Italians had expected big territorial gains when they entered the war. The territories ceded to Italy in
the Paris Peace Conference were not as many as she had originally been promised.
● There was much resentment against the weak and unsuccessful foreign policy of the Italian
government. In September 1919, a band of alien patriots, under Gabriele D'Annunzio, took Fiume, a
port on the Dalmatian coast, by force in defiance of the decision of the Paris Peace Conference.
● In November 1920 the Italian government had signed the treaty of Rapallo with Yugoslavia, by
which Fiume became a free city under the League of Nations and Italy renounced Dalmatia as her
sphere of influence.
● In January 1921, the Italian troops drove D'Annunzio and his followers from Fiume. Many Italians
were deeply disappointed with their government which seemed be too weak in its foreign policy.

9. To what extent did fascism gain support in Italy
because it was seen as the least bad alternative to
democracy?: New Problems after WW1
● The second problem was general economic distress. Italy was a poor nation. She could only support
her war effort by obtaining foreign loans. Immediately after the war, as Europe was exhausted by
the war, the Italian tourist trade and export trade came to a standstill and there was large-scale
unemployment throughout the country.
● The problem of unemployment was aggravated by the return of millions of ex-soldiers to Italy and a
new immigration law of the U.S. government which restricted entry of immigrants.
● Runaway inflation added to the sufferings of the Italians. The lira had only one-fifth of its pre-war
value. Encouraged by the success of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the unemployed workers
and peasants stirred up riots and strikes throughout the country.

10. To what extent did fascism gain support in Italy
because it was seen as the least bad alternative to
democracy?: Other Factors
1. Appeal to Nationalism
● Italy was upset that it didn’t get more land in peace treaties after WWI
● Fascists said they’d get more land and restore the Roman Empire
● This appealed to the youth, veterans, and military people
2. Weak Government After WWI
● Couldn’t solve Italy’s problems
● No political party had a majority in the Parliament
3. Lack of Democratic Tradition
● Democracy = not a part of Italy’s history
● People more concerned with making ends meet, not defending democracy

11. Groups/Individuals who supported Fascism
● Benito Mussolini
-Leader of National Fascist Party (1922-1943)
-Founder of Italian Fascism
● Blackshirts (Squadristi)
-Volunteer activists who supported the fascist ideology of Mussolini
● Workers who fell into the lower working class sector (low pay)
● Patriotic Nationalists

12. Why
Fascist ideas appeared to offer more direct and appealing solutions to the many
complex social, economic, and political issues of Italy
Many liked the fact that Fascism carried some ideas from both Capitalism and
Socialism (Communism)
Fascism was very supportive of Nationalistic ideas
Advertised the solution to an overall “problem” regarding the people who did not
serve a purpose to help the state
Brought a type of fairness onto those of lower classes

13. Beliefs of an Italian Fascist in 1922
Stress on patriotism as contrasted to the liberal failures to protect Italian interests
Belief in Mussolini's leadership and the beginning of the cult of The Duce
Advocated Republicanism and fierce atheism
Belief in the use of violence to keep the security of state
Supported the “disciplinary action” on those who didn’t support the nation
Supported efforts towards homogeneous class of working individuals
Good business climate of cost-effective labor, wage, and political stability
Land to peasants