METHODS USED BYMUSSOLINI TO CONSOLIDATE FASCISMINITALY, 1922-1943:

Mussolini and fascism assumed state power over Italy in 1922 and reigned up to 1945 when Mussolini was killed. He used a combination of internal and external policies to strengthen and consolidate fascism in Italy from 1922- 1945.
1. Creation of abroad based government
In the initial stage, Mussolini created a broad based government as a strategy to draw opposition closer so as to easily monitor their activities. He also appointed opposition leaders in his government in order to popularise fascism and check on subversive activities of the opposition. Thus, Mussolini disorganized and weakened opposition by scattering them in different government departments. There was hardly any serious criticism from the opposition who were part and parcel of fascist administrative organ in Italy.
It should be emphasised that Mussolini retained authority to appoint, promote, demote and dismiss officials in the local government and provinces. He used such power to appoint only those whose loyalty to fascist ideology were unquestionable and dismiss those with questionable loyalty to fascism. By 1935, this strategy had left the local government to be dominated by fascists, which consolidated fascism in Italy.
2. Suppression of rival political opponents
Mussolini used dictatorship to suppress rival political opponents and consolidate fascism. By 1925, the socialists had gained ground due to the disputed elections of 1924 and violence against opposition.
Mussolini appointed Ferinacci, a bloodthirsty diehard supporter as secretary general of the National Fascist Party, (NFP). Mussolini and Ferinacci led gangsters of armed fascists to terrorise and "deal" with anti-fascist elements in Italy. For instance, Matteotti and Amandola were murdered when they complained of violence, rigging of the 1924 elections and demanded for Mussolini's resignation. Others with anti-fascist ideas were arrested and exiled to Lipari Island in the Mediterranean Sea or sentenced to life imprisonment. By 1935, these policies had up rooted opposition parties leaving the national fascist party as the only one in Italian political landscape.
5. Press censorships
From 1925, Mussolini instituted press censorship to control public opinion in favour of fascism.
Opposition newspapers were banned, their offices attacked, checked and locked. Anti-fascist journalists and editors were arrested and exiled to Lipari Island. Radios, films and theatres were carefully monitored and brought under state control. These measures helped to undermine rival opposition parties and strengthen fascism in Italy.
4. Control of education
Mussolini controlled Italian education system as a method of consolidating fascism in Italy. Education was centralised and textbooks based on fascist ideology were used in schools. Schools and institutions were made to teach the origin, aims and principles of fascism. The fascist Ten Commandments were taught in all schools and pinned in all public places to be mastered by all Italians. The tenth commandment, which much emphasised, stated, Mussolini is always right. Pupils and students were forced to join government youth organizations where they were indoctrinated with fascist and anti-democratic ideas. University professors and teachers were forced to swear allegiance to fascism and promised never to teach anti-fascist ideologies. These measures led to the emergence of a new generation that was completely loyal to fascism, hence consolidation of fascism in Italy.
5. Creation of corporate state system
In 1926, Mussolini transformed Italian parliamentary system into a corporate state system through the fascist grand Council. In this system, people were grouped according to their occupation in corporation (profession) each corporation sent representatives to parliament. This was to cater for the interest of various groups such as peasants, Industrialists, workers, employers and land lords to bring them under fascist control and deny communism a chance to gain support. Cooperating representatives replaced the former parliamentarians who had boycotted the parliament after the murder of Matteotti and Amandola.
These representatives, with representatives of the fascist party were to settle all problems related to wages, hours of work and other conditions of work. They passed laws that declared strikes, demonstrations and trade unions illegal. These restored law, order and peace, which earned Mussolini more support and hence consolidated fascism in Italy.
6. Establishment of fascist grand council
In 1926, Mussolini created the fascist grand council that was composed of hard-core supporters of the national fascist party. It was a supreme organ that coordinated government activities .md had more influence than the parliament in Italian affairs. The members of the fascist grand council were answerable to Mussolini alone. They had authority to make and amend laws that favoured fascism at the expense of other political ideologies. For instance, in 1928 the fascist grand council was given power to nominate the head of government and make a constitution. This increased Mussolini's power in policy making, which he used to transform Italy into a total fascist state.
7. Fascist influence on elections and parliament
Mussolini rigged the 1924 parliamentary election, which gave fascism majority representatives in parliament. Thereafter, he put an end to free election in order to maintain fascist dominance in parliament.
On 3th January 1925, Mussolini abolished a law that had given parliament power to try any minister suspected of wrong full acts. This denied opposition of a significant weapon to censor fascist hardliners who were doing injustice to other political groups in Italy.
8. Role of the army and police
Mussolini transformed the black shirt into a highly disciplined army. The army and police were reorganized and empowered to maintain law and order unlike during the regime of the democratic government when the army and the police were agents of lawlessness. The army and police under Feranacci's leadership were used to terrorise and arrest anti-fascist elements in Italy. He also used the army to spy and paralyse the activities of rival political organisations such as the socialists, commun