Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism - Research Paper Example

Benito Mussolini was an Italian World War soldier and also a journalist with the socialist newspaper. Benito Mussolini was born on the year 1886, in North Central Italy. The mother of Benito Mussolini was a school teacher, and a devout catholic Christian. On the other hand, the father of Benito Mussolini was an atheist, and a very violent man, who hated elections. Mussolini himself was not a gentleman, always making trouble and believing in violence (Deakin, 2000). On most occasions, he was accused of trying to knife his classmates. This is when they had different opposing views, from that of Benito Mussolini (Painter, 2000). His beliefs in socialism began when he fled to Switzerland, for purposes of escaping being drafted into the army. However, in 1904, Benito Mussolini returned to Italy, and decided to serve in the army, in return of being pardoned. It is important to understand that after his service in the army, Mussolini became an editor of various socialist newspapers in Italy, advocating for the principles of socialism. During the First World War, as an editor of socialist newspaper, Benito Mussolini strongly advocated for neutrality. However, after accepting a series of bribes, notably from the French, Mussolini advocated for Italy to support the cause of the allied forces. Deakin (2000) denotes that Italy made a poor judgment in the war, and this made the country to experience an economic downturn, leading to massive loss of jobs, inflation, strikes, riots, etc. Mussolini took advantage of this chaos, and built a nationalist party referred to as Fasci di Cambattimento. This party was named after the Italian revolutionaries of the 19th century. This party, commonly referred to as the Fascist party of Italy strongly advocated for Italian nationalism, and it used violence and intimidation against its opponents to advocate for its ideals. It is important to denote that while intimidating its opponents, the Fascist party claimed that it was crushing the violence and riots that were taking place in Italy during the time (Painter, 2000). This made Mussolini to have the respect of King Emmanuel the 3rd who later on invited him to form a government. It is important to understand that it was the Fascist party that was promoting anarchy, through its violence activities targeted at opposition parties. On this basis, the King misjudged Benito Mussolini, and his party, the Fascist Party. Deakin (2000) denotes that the Fascist party appealed to the war veterans, and this is because it advocated for the protection of their interests. On the October of 1922, Mussolini together with his supporters marched to Rome, and the middle class in Italy, saw the ideologies of Fascism as appealing to them. This is because they feared communism, and its aspect of total control of the state’s economy. This march to Rome was violent, and his supporters were able to control local government authorities, forcing them to give concessions to the party (Deakin, 2000). This scared the King, and the government, and thus Mussolini was invited by the King to form a government, and a cabinet. Scholar denotes that, Benito Mussolini created a fascist cabinet, and made collaborations with the parliament to implement policies that would support fascism (Painter, 2000). Benito Mussolini created a very brutal and lethal police organization that was responsible for killing and victimizing any opponents of the regime, including members of opposing political parties, such as the socialist party. By 1925, Fascism became the official ideology of Italy, and Mussolini was proclaimed as II Duce, meaning the supreme leader. It is important to understand that in a bid to hold his grip in power, Mussolini constantly harassed and bullied parliament, for purposing of getting emergency powers to enable him censor the press, end civil liberties, and shut down political parties that were opposed to Fascism (Deakin, 2000). It is important to understand that at the end of World War 1, the parties to the conflict signed the treaty of Versailles. This treaty did not satisfy all the states to the conflict, and this included countries such as Germany, and Italy. On the other hand, countries such as France, and the United Kingdom were regaining some prosperity and stability (Painter, 2000). It is important to understand further that territorial disputes and ethnic tensions were widely on an increase, amongst the new democratic states in Eastern Europe. On the other side, the Russians made a threat to overthrow capitalism, and ensure the spread of socialism/ communism. Germany and Italy on the other hand were very bitter over the treaty of Versailles, and they were planning not to respect the treaty. Benito Mussolini was able to take advantage of these conditions in the international arena, to initiate Fascism in Italy. Fascism is an ideology that believes in the totalitarian control of every aspect of a state, and this includes schools, the press, army, and government activities. However, the major difference between Fascism and socialism as advocated by the Soviet Union is that fascism allowed private ownership of a property, and a free enterprise. On this basis, Fascism was able to appeal to the business people, mostly the middle class in Italy, as this gave them some sort of financial security. In a bid to acquire international support for Fascism, Benito Mussolini tried to create new treaties with the former western allies of Italy (Downing, 2003). However, these efforts failed, and this is because of his brutal invasion of Ethiopia, in the year 1935. On this basis, scholar denotes that Benito Mussolini decided to look for news, and this included Germany, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. Mussolini, together with Hitler gave support to Francisco Franco during the Spanish civil war, in the year 1936. In 1937, Italy and Nazi Germany signed a treaty of cooperation, forming the Berlin Rome Axis. It is important to understand that under Fascism, Italy struggled to develop its economy. Downing (2003) denote that one of the major factors was that Italy did not have sufficient natural resources to feed Italian industries. On this basis, Benito Mussolini was unable to effectively improve the Italian economy. It is important to denote that the rise of Fascism was possible in Italy, because of the economic problems that Italy faced after the 1st world war. However, with Fascism in power, situations were worse in Italy, since the state was on an economic decline. Scholars denote that Mussolini was not an economic radical, and his major aim was to use economic power for purposes of politically reshaping the Italian state to fit in Fascism. Mussolini was able to align himself with the various industrial interests in Italy, and he formed a close relationship with Italian capitalists. Scholar denotes that the economic strategies and policies of Mussolini are difficult to define. Scholars denote that Benito Mussolini either had an economic policy, or he failed to have one. On this basis, Mussolini only implemented economic changes in Italy, without having a plan of sustaining the changes. Dunnage (2009) agrees with the view that Mussolini had an economic plan, and a well defined economic agenda. According to Palla (2000), Mussolini had both a long and short term economic plan for Italy. The government of Mussolini had two major objectives, to find a solution to the nation’s inability to have strategic resources, and to modernize the economy of Italy. In meeting this objective, the government of Mussolini decided to push the modern aspects of capitalism in the service of the nation. Mussolini directly intervened to create collaboration between the state, workers, and the industrialists. The government of Mussolini went ahead to crush fundamental class conflicts for purposes of promoting corporatism. In the short run, the governments of Mussolini worked hard to reform and improve on the greatly abused tax system, disposing off inefficient industries owned and managed by the state, cutting government costs, and introducing tariffs for purposes of protecting new and developing new industries (Dunnage, 2009). In its desire to tackle the shortage of industrial resources in Italy, the government of Mussolini advocated for effective use of the domestic resources available, and the development of commercial policies aimed at promoting trade in Italy, but under the principles of Fascism. It is important to understand that during the early years of Mussolini’s leadership, his economic policy was more liberal, and the government initiated a laissez-faire program. It is important to understand that the tax structure was improved during this period in time, mainly between the years 1925 to the year 1927. This government removed the 10% capital tax, imposed on industrial and banking organizations. The government also reduced the taxes charged on administrators and directors of anonymous companies by half. Any foreign investment did not pay tax, and the government of Mussolini opposed the concept of municipalization of industries. These policies were populist in nature, and were aimed at gaining the support of the Italian masses. After a firm grip in power, the government of Mussolini introduced corporatism in the year 1927. The 1927 Italian labor charter recognized the importance of private industries in Italy, as well as the importance of the state intervening in the business activities of these private enterprises. Of most interest to the state is the controlling the hiring of workers by private and public institutions. In the year 1930, the government of Mussolini was able to create the National Council of Corporation, and it was aimed to be a representation body of the important elements of the Italian economy. This was to help these sectors of the economy to resolve the various problems that they faced. Scholars denote that this institution promoted corruption, patronage, and nepotism during the process of implementing the Fascist ideology. Furthermore, this institution played a great role in destroying trade unions in the Fascist Italy, and this is because they did not get any representation into this council. On this basis, organized industries in Italy were able to gain an advantage over the workers, as well as their competitors. Scholars denote that the establishment of this council was the beginning of the fall of Fascism. This is because it was unable to come up with policies that would promote fascism, and develop the economy of Italy. In conclusion, Benito Mussolini had a plan of implementing Fascism in Italy. However, because of corruption, and poor governance, Fascism failed in Italy. Due to the failure of Fascism in Italy, the Italian economy experienced a sharp recession, leading to massive inflation, as well as a rise of unemployment in Italy. It is important to denote that these were the major factors that the government of Benito Mussolini was to fight against. Just as noted earlier, Mussolini was unable to get Western allies in Europe, and this is because of his brutal invasion of Ethiopia, and the dictatorship that he established in Italy. Fascism therefore was just an ideology that failed. References: Deakin, F. W. (2000). The brutal friendship: Mussolini, Hitler and the fall of Italian fascism. London: Phoenix Press. Downing, D. (2003). Fascism. Chicago: Heinemann Library. Dunnage, J. (2009). Surviving fascism; narrating fascism; transferring fascism: a preliminary investigation of the evolution of Italian police culture from the dictatorship to the Republic.. The Italianist, 29(3), 464-484. Painter, B. (2002). :Phoenix: Fascism in Our Time;Italian Fascism: History, Memory, and Representation. The Journal of Modern History, 74(1), 180-183. Palla, M. (2000). Mussolini and fascism. New York: Interlink Books. Read More