Way Was Mussolini Able to Come to Power?
Essay title: Way Was Mussolini Able to Come to Power?
Way was Mussolini able to come to power?
After the World War One, Italy was in a slump of frustration and disappointment. The environment such as the World War One made people to support single party state who had populist ideology that promised better life. Mussolini had charismatic leadership who used clever methods of gaining support. Also others could be blamed for his rise of power; Giovanni Giolitti, King Victor Emmanuel III, and Pope Pius XI anticipated in the growth of Mussolini.
The devastating environment of Italy led people to support single party dictatorship. Italy lost around 700,000 soldiers, and spent 148 billion Litre which was twice the sum of government expenditures between 1861 and 1913. It also did not gain Fiume or Dalmatia on Adriatic coast which showed that Italy had been cheated out of its promised rewards by other war victors. Domestic confusion emerged as inflation grew; there was no more middle class security, and dissatisfied veterans were the large part of high employment in Italy. The government was a chaos and lost its credit from people; years, between 1918 and 1921, were known as “Red Years” in which there were great amounts of discontent among the socialist party and seemed to shift towards a Russian Bolsheviks Revolution further separating the parties. Previous government tried to unite Italy but made further economic division between North and South Italy. And the War really put Italy down hard: Italy could only pay off war debts through foreign loaning, and soared with high inflation, and it was a 25 % fall in average waged from 1915 to 1918. And new parliament elected in November was incapable of governing Italy. Three major parties, Socialists, Liberals, Popolari, could not form an effective coalition. There were numerous industrial agriculture strikes between 1919 and 1920 which brought climate of class warfare and constant violence. In this devastation, Mussolini gained power with his promises including anticommunism, antistrike activities, nationalist, rhetoric combined with brute force.
Mussolini gained power with a Populist ideology that gained support. Massages from his fascist policies were following: Nationalism, rejuvenate the economy, land regain, overcome of the mutilated victory, fight against the growth of communism, and bring a trong government, unlike democracy, back into Italy. Mussolinin aimed to improve the everyday lives of the Italian people and increased patriotism. Also policies were vague therefore aiming many different groups. He emphasized quick taking actions rather than slow change, and these really brought many supports from all different classes such young, middle class, upper class.
Mussolini could capture much support with his charismatic leadership. In November 1914 he founded a new paper, Il Popolo d’Italia, and the power group Dasci d’ Azione Revoluzionaria. Mussolini was the figure head that was looked upon as being respectable and disassociating himself from the violent perspective that many had about the fascism. He had an ability to adapt to circustances and able to fit fascist policies to needs. And he was able to get the local fascist leaders to accept his leadership and