What role did the Fascist Party play?

Question 1

Why was Mussolini fearful of the Party?

Answer 1

• The ras were powerful and could start a ‘revolution from below’
• More radical Fascists scared the industrialists and landowners

Question 2

How did Mussolini limit the power of the ras?

Answer 2

• Increased power of PNF so less Fascist violence was required
• Appointed Farinacci as party secretary and used him to centralise power
• Farinacci then dismissed to prevent his more radical ideas
• 1925 FGC ordered disbandment of remaining squads, who then had to join MVSN

Question 3

How did Mussolini increase his control over the party?

Answer 3

• 1926 Duce permanent leader
• Party posts appointed by him, not elected
• Mussolini appointed those he could easily dominate e.g. Starace

Question 4

How did Mussolini ensure control over the MVSN?

Answer 4

• Had to take an oath to Mussolini, and later to the King

Question 5

How did Mussolini control the ras?

Answer 5

• Increased power of prefects, therefore reducing the power of the ras
• Turati broke power of the ras

Question 6

How did Mussolini keep general support amongst his followers?

Answer 6

60,000 potentially hostile members purged between 1928 and 1929

Question 7

Who were syndicalists and what did they want from Fascism?

Answer 7

• Most coherent Fascist Left e.g. Rossoni
• Wanted to create syndicalist structure favouring workers

Question 8

Who were Right nationalists and what did they want from Fascism?

Answer 8

• Ex-nationalists e.g. Rocco
• Wanted authoritarian state and imperialism

Question 9

Who were the Moderate revisionists and what did they want from Fascism?

Answer 9

• Bottai and Grandi
• Wanted Fascism to fuse with existing elite

Question 10

Who were the Hardliners and what did they want from Fascism?

Answer 10

• Ras e.g. Farinacci
• Wanted a Fascist dictatorship

Question 11

What was Fascist membership like between 1922 and 1939?

Answer 11

• 1922, one-third workers or farmers
• By late 1920s, majority middle class
• 1922 = 477,000
• 1923 = 783,000
• 1934 = 1,851,000
• 1939 = 2,633,000

Question 12

Early Farinacci

Answer 12

• Initially joined PSI
• 1919 joined Mussolini in creation of Fascio di Combattimento
• Fascist ras in hometown
• Ran own newspaper
• Extremist

Question 13

How did Farinacci assist Mussolini?

Answer 13

• Supported him and other Fascist members during Matteotti Crisis