Emergence: Conditions for Mussolini's rise to power Notes

Political Instability and Weakness of Liberal Italy

1. Post-unification Italy suffered from weak parliamentary traditions, where coalition governments were unstable and largely ineffective.
2. The political system relied on transformismo, which encouraged frequent shifting of alliances and personal gain over consistent governance.
3. The liberal elites failed to address Italy’s major structural problems, especially the north–south divide and widespread poverty.
4. The franchise expanded over time, but political participation remained limited and disconnected from ordinary Italians.
5. Italy’s democratic institutions lacked legitimacy, making them vulnerable to a radical, anti-liberal alternative like Fascism.

Economic Crisis and Social Discontent

1. Italy’s economy was severely affected by World War I, leading to high unemployment, inflation, and national debt.
2. Returning soldiers felt betrayed by the “mutilated victory” at Versailles, fuelling resentment and feelings of humiliation.
3. Strikes, land seizures, and factory occupations peaked between 1919 and 1920 during the Biennio Rosso, creating fear of revolution among the middle and upper classes.
4. The liberal government failed to contain unrest, appearing weak in the face of growing left-wing mobilisation.
5. Economic instability pushed industrialists and landowners to support any movement that promised to restore order, including Mussolini’s Fascists.

Fear of Socialism and Class Conflict

1. The success of the Russian Revolution and rising popularity of socialist and communist parties in Italy led to elite and middle-class panic.
2. Many Italians feared that leftist parties would lead to a Bolshevik-style revolution, especially as strikes and land reform demands spread.