Mussolini Consolidating power

1922-27
1923:
-

Black shirts were formalized MVSN

Acerbo Law>25% vote means 2/3 seats

(Polarity of vote/ Fascists would win easily)

-Tactics of the black shirts/ pure intimidation e.g having the black shirts in the room
-Stronger control in the legislature

1924: Fascists do actually get 2/3 during an election (it was fraudulent and violent)
- Criticizing the Fascists and their tactics of gaining power/ Giacomo Matteotti
(Socialist), gets killed by Black shirts
Aventine Secession: Socialists hope that by boycotting the parliament,
would put pressure on the King which he would get rid of Mussolini
- Instead of undermining the power of the Fascist, the King strengthens it by
banning Italian Socialist Party
1925: Mussolini makes a speech
-Changes in legislation is able to change due to the Acerbo law
1926: Other parties are banned (Mussolini assuming power)
-Force people to become members of the Fascist party

The Role of the King/ Church/ Elite:

- Regards Mussolini as a better alternative better than socialism
- Squardristi

1926: The limits/constraints of Mussolinis power

-Hitler is more totalitarian than Mussolini
Model 1: Mussolini, as Duce was in sole control of Italy and its government
Model 2: Mussolini had to share power with the Fascist Party that had helped him
into power
Model 3: Mussolini shared power with the King and the Elite who were still too
powerful to ignore
Elite: The Church/ Pope, Liberal (middle & upper class), but not as powerful as the
Jonkers

Page 87 What Role did Mussolini play?

-The cult of the Duce
-Man admired and respected