Mussolini Fascism : how did he come into power

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Did Fascism come into power through its strengths or through the weaknesses of its opponents?

Socialist Weakness

Fascism Strenghts

Italian Socialist Party : PSI

Membership increased monumentally

1914 - 50, 000 increased to 200,000 in 1917

After the Bolshevik revolution advocated overthrowing the Liberal Government in Italy and instead establishing a socialist republic

Socialist Threat

Bienno Rosso

Unemployment rose to over 2 million and industrial workers started a wave of militant action - "two red years"

End of 1919 - socialist trade unions had over 2 million members which was 4 times what it was at the start of the year

Weaknesses of Government

Giovanni Giolitti head of the Government did nothing about the "communist revolution" from the Bienno Rosso

Instead the Government urged landowners and factory owners to make some concessions -

Like Government who in response to riots over high food prices set up food committees to control distribution and prices

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