Benito Mussolini
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In 1922 the Fascist party, led by Benito Mussolini, gained political power in Italy and gradually changed the government into a one-party dictatorship under Mussolini's control. From that time until his death Mussolini's only interest was in holding on to power. He was willing to do whatever he had to do to keep power. He did not operate on the basis of any principles or beliefs that could not be adapted when it suited his purpose. Mussolini remained in power until he was thrown out after a number of Italian military disasters in World War II. The Nazis set him up as the head of a puppet state in Northern Italy, but when Mussolini tried to flee from the Allies he was captured by the Italian underground and executed. The attitude he expressed to the very end was that a better choice would have kept him in power longer. As the end grew near in 1944 Mussolini admitted he had made a mistake in entering the War, "When I allied myself with Hitler I took a leap in the dark; but after all the Germans were Fascists" (quoted by Leeds 118). Throughout his career Mussolini claimed to represent the ideals of fascism. But history shows that he never stuck to any principles very long and was willing to make any kind of compromise that was necessary to stay in power. Mussolini himself said in 1921 that the Fascists were not interested in any particular programs. "We allow ourselves the luxury of being aristocratic and democratic, reactionary and revolutionary, legalistic and ill
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triotism, a hatred of socialism, and an allegiance to il Duce (the Leader), Mussolini" (Moore 55).
The Roman ideal and the restoration of the economy were the ideas that got him some voters' attention and he stuck with them because they continued to ensure his popularity. But violence or the threat of violence was always the ultimate tool of the Fascists. In 1919 the party had its first big success by interfering in a Communist rally protesting a government ban on Communist meetings. The huge rally in Milan was watched by the police who did nothing. But then a small group of Fascists attacked the crowd of demonstrators -- shooting and beating them. The Communists fled and the protest broke up (Leeds 14). Many Italians who believed the communists were a serious threat, praised the action.
From the beginning anti-communism was an important Fascist policy. Following the War the country had been stuck in a terrible recession. Inflation had risen to 300 percent and unemployment was a major problem. Strikes and worker unrest caused by the Communist party were seen as being a major drawback to getting the Italian economy working again. The Fascists saw this and seized the opportunity (Moore 53). At first the party had only
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Approximate Word count = 1581
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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