Benito Mussolini and the Rise of Italian Fascism

The History of Fascism in Italy

The Birth of Italian Fascism

Italy participated in the later stages of World War I on the side of the Allies. Following the war, economic and social conditions began deteriorating rapidly starting in 1919. This instability led to the rise of a new political movement centered around **Benito Mussolini**. In 1919, he founded the **Fascist Party**. Mussolini aimed to emulate the power and glory of ancient Rome and attracted followers who shared a dislike of the current political situation.

Mussolini was supported by paramilitary formations, notably the *Squadri di combattimento* and the *Camicie Nere* (or **Black Shirts**). These volunteer battalions dressed alike and aggressively pushed for political change, often resorting to violence. Their primary targets were Socialists and other political opponents who stood in their way.

The March on Rome and Absolute Power

In October 1922, Mussolini successfully seized power. A large number of Fascist battalions moved to Rome in the famous ***March on Rome***, taking control of key government buildings without bloodshed. Once in power, Fascism began enacting its policies. After securing a political majority in Parliament, they took decisive steps to establish absolute power:

• Freedom of speech was revoked.
• All opposing political parties were forbidden.

Normalizing Relations: The Lateran Treaties

Since the Italian unification in the early 1870s, the former Papal States had been dramatically reduced in size, leading to tense relations with the Holy See. In 1929, Mussolini oversaw the signing of the ***Lateran Treaties*** to normalize this relationship. Key provisions included:

• The Holy See received financial compensation for the loss of territories.
• Catholicism was recognized as “the sole religion of the state.”
• Religious education was permitted in schools.
• Priests were paid by the state.
• Canon marriage was recognized as civil marriage.

Despite this agreement, the Catholic Church later denounced the evils of Fascism in the papal document ***Non abbiamo bisogno*** (1931).

Foreign Policy and the Fall of Mussolini

Fascist Italy embarked on an aggressive policy of conquest, notably seizing Abyssinia and the Dodecanese islands. Leaders from Germany and Italy signed an alliance that joined Berlin and Rome—known as the ***Axis***—which ultimately sealed Italy's fate in World War II.

Italy was finally liberated by the Allies. Mussolini was rescued and protected by the Germans for a time until he was finally captured and executed.