To what extent was fascist control of Italy 1925-1943 the result of the effective use of propaganda free essay sample

?To what extent was fascist control of Italy 1925-1943 the result of the effective use of propaganda? Propaganda allowed Mussolini to keep a wide control over the Italian population, however there were also other factors that maintained fascist control over Italy, including Mussolini’s link with the church, the banning of opposition, fear and repressive measures and the creation of a secure state. Propaganda was an important step in securing Mussolini’s position in power. He proposed various ways to ensure that the media would represent him in a favourable light. These various tactics included targeting mass media, in which the press office was given responsibility of all aspects of culture and was renamed the Ministry of Popular Culture, this meant that every aspect of media that was exposed to the population was diligently monitored, therefore removing the possibility of opposition being given the chance to flourish. Government agencies designed posters to appeal to the masses, a large percentage of the population were illiterate and so image was important in portraying Mussolinis political ideas. We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent was fascist control of Italy 1925-1943 the result of the effective use of propaganda? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Newspapers were heavily controlled, and as a journalist and editor himself, Mussolini knew the impact a fascist controlled press could have. Newspapers were expected to steer away from the mention of crime, unemployment and other negative aspects within society, aswell as this, all journalists were to be registered on the fascist lists to ensure their political views were in line with Mussolini’s to prevent them from reflecting any different political views through their work. As well as mass media being controlled, the government also arranged for mass activities to be organised, such as rallies, sporting events and youth leagues. It was important to the government that the youth were targeted in the spread of fascist ideas, as the new generation should be entirely fascist and not introduce any opposition. The Dopolavoro (OND) was also introduced, which consisted of leisure programmes and to over 4 million members, holidays, trips, summer camps and train tickets were organised, whilst they also set out to spread the fascist ideas in especially remote and illiterate areas. By the 1930’s, the OND controlled sporting clubs, theatres, dramatic societies, libraries and bands. These mass activities were intended to keep people happy under the fascist regime, and gave them privileges and opportunities, therefore keeping Mussolini popular among the masses. Power over the church was another thing that maintained fascist control, the catholic church was the main obstacle which stood in the way of Mussolini gaining totalitarian control. Mussolini originally possessed anti clerical views and disagreed with the church on many issues. However, he decided to end this ongoing struggle and instead reach some agreement. His intentions were to limit the impact the Church held on society, and hoped that with support from the Catholic Church, he would appeal more to the predominantly catholic population. Mussolini took various steps to gain a friendship with the church; first of all he became more religious by taking on the role of ‘Prodigal Son’, and married his wife in a church ceremony. This showed the general public that he was a religious man who had respect for the Catholic Church. He also granted the Church additional funds and attempted to save the Catholic bank by investing public funds, Mussolini did this to show that he supported the church financially and was keen to keep the Church stable and economically viable. Mussolini also stopped proposals to tax Church property, and he allowed clerical salaries to be increased. These actions show Mussolini’s eagerness to be associated with the church and to gain support from it. Not only did Mussolini take direct measures in appealing to the Church, but he also changed things within society, such as placing crucifixes in classrooms and the banning of brothels and freemasonry. This showed that Mussolini had taken on a new religious attitude, and it began to appeal to the Church. It was important in maintaining fascist control in Italy because the Church was the cornerstone of society, providing people with education, moral guidance, sanctuary, charity and it had a strong influence over people. If the Church did not support Mussolini, it is unlikely that the masses of Italian Catholics would either. Another way in which Mussolini attempted to maintain fascist control was by banning political opposition. In 1926, other political parties were banned. This allowed the Fascist party to be the leading party without threat from other leaders. Opposition began to fade away in 1925 when some deputies walked out of parliament as a way of protesting Mussolinins speech, which caused them to loose their political voice. This benefited Mussolini as they appeared to be weak and allowed Mussolini to have a leading voice in the chamber of deputies. In 1925, the press law was also introduced which meant that all journalists were to be registered by the state, and editors were closely monitored. This meant that ideas of opposition would not find its way into newspapers and other forms of media which would spread quickly amongst the general public. Finally in 1926 Mussolini took the final step in curbing opposition by banning all political activity out of the PNF and declaring opposition illegal. This meant that the fascist party faced no threats from outside their own party, and the Italian population had no alternative political party to support besides Mussolini. Fear and repression was vital in maintaining fascist control as it acted as way of dealing with anybody who showed resistance to Mussolini’s regime. The policies of ‘confino’ allowed police to banish people to remote provinces or to the southern islands if they showed any sign of opposition or if they were considered to be anti fascist, criminals or suspected of spreading rumours. This meant an ideal solution to anybody who the fascist party regarded as a threat to their success. Without this strict regime in banning rebels, opposition could spread quickly and the fascist party would appear to be weak. Specialised tribunals were also set up in order to tackle terrorists and political criminals, these tribunals were controlled by the militia. Punishments often included life long prison sentences, confinement and occasionally the death penalty. Finally, the creation of a strong state was a key point in marinating control over Italy. Mussolini intended to find a way of making Italy a secure state, and he had various tactics to do this. He controlled the Police, and after a third attempt on Mussolins life he appointed Bocchini the chief of police, and it was estimated that overall the political police carried out 20,000 searches, visits, arrests and seizures of literature. This represents the tight control Mussolini had on the country and the actions of the people. Aswell as the political police, the OVRA were introduced, which were secret police, which carried out important arrests and they had an influential impact on the public. This is an example of how Mussolini used fear to maintain his position in power, and his various numbers of police and secret police ensured that nothing would interfere with his leadership. In terms of the Militia, Mussolini became minister for war, Navy and Air, which in reality did not effect its actions, however it gave Mussolini prestige and he appeared to have more control over the country. Within the civil service, prefects had been given extended powers, and they now played an important role in organising the police, defending the regime and suppressing opposition. The ‘Podesta’ was introduced, he replaced the mayor and local councils and was appointed by a prefect, they were generally elderly conservative men and not representative of the Italian population. This variety of people appointed in important positions ensured Mussolini could create a secure state and no opposition would spread. Overall, the main factor which allowed Mussolini to maintain fascist control was his agreements with the Church, without gaining support from the Church, Mussolini wouldn’t have appealed to the Italian population. For years the Church was responsible for many aspects within society, and in order to gain popular support and maintain fascist control, he would have to gain their support. Although propaganda was an important step in appealing to the population, and repressive measures and a secure state helped him gain and stay in power, the Church would have been a strong barrier in preventing him from gaining totalitarian control.