REASONS FOR THE RISE OF FASCISM AND MUSSOLINI IN ITALY

The circumstance that led to the rise of Fascism and Mussolini is attributed to social, political and economic conditions that prevailed in the post-World War I era. Generally, the reasons for the rise of fascism and Mussolini were due to internal and external factors.
1. The repercussions of World War!
The impact of the First World War aided fascism and Mussolini to power by 1922. The war had negative consequences on Italy, which favoured the rise of strong anti-government movements. It led to the death of more than 600,000 Italians, both civilians and soldiers. Mussolini associated the democratic government with such losses, decampaigned it as weak and incompetent of handling the Italian affairs. This paralysed the democratic government and undermined its popularity in favour of fascism and Mussolini.
2. Post-world war socio' economic problems
The post war socio- economic problems conditioned the rise of fascism and Mussolini by 1922. Since the unification of Italy (1871), successive governments failed to address socio- economic grievances such as inflation, poverty, unemployment, poor standard of living, corruption and urban congestion. These problems worsened after the end of world war I. Mussolini used such problems to decampaign the liberal democratic government and popularise his fascist propaganda with promises of better working conditions and employment to all. He also promised a rapid economic transformation through a comprehensive economic recovery program. This explains why fascism won mass support from ex-soldiers, jobless and idle youth, hence the rise of fascism in the history of Italy
3. The unrealistic terms of the Versailles Settlement
The unfairness of the Versailles treaty on Italy cultivated a favourable ground for the rise of fascism and Mussolini in Italy. In 1915, Italy, a member of the triple alliance joined the First World War on the side of triple entente according to the secret London treaty of 1915. She was promised territorial rewards that included Ethiopia, Tunisia, Austrian, German and Turkish territories. However, at the Versailles Settlement, these promises were not fully implemented and Italy was poorly compensated. The Italians felt betrayed by the Versailles treaty and Victor Emmanuel Ill's failure to secure better terms for them.
Mussolini and fellow fascists denounced the Versailles peacemakers and Victor Emmanuel's government as traitors and promised to revenge. This made fascism and Mussolini to gain more support at the expense of other rival political parties and Victor Emmanuel Ill's government, hence the rise of fascism in Italy.
4. Weaknesses of Victor Emmanuel III of the democratic government
The weaknesses and failures of Victor Emmanuel Ill's democratic government made the rise of fascism and Mussolini in Italy inevitable. The government failed to handle crucial socio-economic problems like inflation, unemployment, poverty, high crime rate, and bloodshed. Victor Emmanuel III also failed to establish a broad based government that could have promoted unity and harmony. His government ignored violence with a false hope that the opposition would clash, weaken and destroy themselves. Mussolini exploited such negligence and violence to weaken other rival political groups and undermine the democratic government. Besides, the democratic government was led by incompetent and cowardly politicians who failed to use the army to stop the fascist march to Rome. Such weakness explains why they just called Mussolini to set up his government instead of resisting his march to Rome.
5. The communist and socialist threats
The communist and socialist threats also contributed to the rise of fascism and Mussolini in Italy. In 1917, communism emerged in Russia and started spreading to Western Europe. By 1922, Socialist and communist supporters were agitating for nationalisation of property and that government other than private individuals should control the means of production. This became a threat to the wealth of the middle class, industrialists capitalists and landlords. Mussolini and his fascists opposed communism, promised security of wealth and clashed with socialist and communist supporters. This earned Mussolini and fascism material and financial backing from the wealthy class of Italians for their rise to power.
6. Mussolini's abilities
Mussolini's personal abilities and characters were a big push for the rise to power of fascism in Italy.
Mussolini had a wide experience as a casual laborer, teacher, journalist and a soldier, which helped fascism to attain power by 1922. His experience as a casual labourer inspired him with a spirit of hard work and exposed him to injustices suffered by the lower class in Italy. Teaching turned him into a disciplinarian and a role model who knew how to impart knowledge and morals in others. Journalism inspired him with skills in research, investigation and writing captivating articles. His life as a soldier taught him how to obey, command and gained him personal friendship amongst the soldiers. He was also a master political tactician and a gifted demagogue with rare oratory skills. His eloquence and romantic moving speeches attracted the middle class, capitalists, unemployed youth and ex-soldiers. Mussolini organized political rallies and military parades with fascist patriotic slogans that popularized fascism throughout Italy. Mussolini's mobilization ability was of paramount importance in the fascist march to Rome, which was the most immediate event that led to the rise of fascism in Italy.
7. Role of the black shirts
The role of fascist militia, the black shirt was instrumental in the rise of fascism and Mussolini to power.
The black shirt was a military wing of the fascist national political party whose name was derived from the colour of their uniform. It was a terrorist squad that was used to destroy other political groups and discredit the government. They systematically assassinated prominent opposition members especially socialist and communist political opponents. The black shirts also coerced people to support the fascist national party, which strengthened fascism and thus contributed to the rise of fascism and Mussolini in Italy.
8. Weak parliamentary system.
The loss of respect for the parliament by the Italians favoured the rise of Mussolini and fascism in Italy.
The system of proportional representation that was introduced in 1919 made it difficult for any single party to win a mass support and form a stable government. This is because there were so many political groups with varied interests e.g. the liberals, nationalists, socialists, communists and the fascists.
Consequently, the parliament where all these parties were represented became a venue for chaos and disorganization, which weakened Victor Emmanuel Ill's government and provided a convenient opportunity for the fascists to march to Rome. Besides, the parliamentarians were messed up in corruption, embezzlement and bribery at the expense of people's socio-economic problems. This made people to lose respect for the parliament and opted for fascist dictatorship under Mussolini's leadership.
9. Mussolini's ambitions.
Mussolini, the leader of the fascists was ambitious, which helped fascism to rise in Italy. Ambition made Mussolini to have a wide and rich experience as a casual labourer, teacher, socialist and a journalist.
Mussolini's ambitions dragged him to organize the first fascio in Milan in 1919 and form the national fascist party in 1921. Ambition for power made Mussolini to terrorize and eliminate rival political groups, which left fascism as the greatest threat to the democratic government by 1922. The same ambition is what made Mussolini to organize the fascist march to Rome that became a turning point in the rise of fascism in Italy.
10. Role of the press.
The press played a significant role in the rise of fascism in Italy. Mussolini, the leader of fascism was a journalist and the editor of a socialist newspaper " Avante" which exposed him and his ideas to the Italians. Mussolini started his own newspaper, "111 popolod Italia" after disagreeing with the socialists over participating in the First World War. He used the newspaper to popularise fascism throughout Italy.
Through the "111 popolod Italia", the Italians were educated about the origins, aims, objectives and principles of fascism. Mussolini also used press propaganda to decampaign rival political groups e.g. socialists, communists, liberals and the democratic government itself. All these, consolidate fascists' support for political take over by 1922
11. Appeasement policy of Britain and France
Appeasement policy pursued by Britain and France in the Inter war period also contributed to the rise of Fascism and Mussolini in Italy. The spread of communism and socialism fi-om Russia after the revolution of 1917 was opposed by western countries most especially Britain, USA and France. Mussolini and his fascists also opposed and fought socialism and communism in Italy. This made Britain and France to support fascist militarism through appeasement policy. They saw fascist dictatorship as a lesser evil with hopes that fascism would liquidate communism and socialism. This made Mussolini bold and determined which encouraged him to march to Rome without fear of foreign interference.
12. Disunity and weakness of fascist political opponents.
The disunity and weakness of fascist opponents paved way for the rise of fascism and Mussolini in Italy.
Fascist political rivals regarded each other as more of a threat than fascism. The communists refused to cooperate with the socialists. The socialists were divided between moderates and hardliners. Experienced / old politicians like Giolitti and Orlando had by 1922 outlived their usefulness and confessed that Mussolini could provide better leadership than themselves. They are blamed for failing to oppose Mussolini / fascism until it was too late and too ineffectively. For instance, Giolitti supported Mussolini and only joined the apposition in 1924 when Mussolini had already entrenched fascism is Italy. Giolitti (the prime minister) and King Victor Emmanuel III supported fascism in the 1921 elections in order for the fascists to have many representatives in parliament and support the democratic government. Although the fascist party won only 22 seats and socialists party 122 seats, it never the less gave the fascists a flat form to popularise fascism, gain national support and be in better relations with the king and his officials.
This partly explains why the king instead of resisting fascist march to Rome just welcomed Mussolini to form his government. Thus, the political miscalculation by king Victor Emmanuel IH's government and the weakness of other groups became a turning point in the rise of fascism in Italy.
13. The success of the fascist march to Rome
The most immediate event that led to the rise of fascism in Italy was the famous fascist march to Rome.
On October 28th 1922, Mussolini mobilised all fascist supporters from all parts of Italy to march to Rome.
King Victor Emmanuel III and the army declined to fight them and they entered Rome without resistance.
Besides not resisting the fascist march to Rome, King Victor Emmanuel III asked Mussolini to form his government, which became a landmark in the rise of fascism in Italy. HL peacock argues that; This was the famous fascist march on Rome which really heralded the rise of fascism to importance in Italy.