Introduction

Mussolini became Prime Minister of Italy in October 1922, but there were only three other fascists in the Italian government. However, by 1926, Mussolini had effectively established a personal dictatorship in Italy through his fascist regime. This was done in two stages:

Consolidation of power 1922–24
Creation of a dictatorship 1924–26

Read and Make Notes

Read pages 124 to 128 in European Dictatorships 1918-1945 and make notes under the following headings:
- Parliamentary compromise and coercion;
- The Acerbo Law;
- The Matteotti crisis;
- Repression in 1925;
- Constitutional amendments, 1925-26.
Use these links to add further detail to your notes:

READ – Mussolini: Consolidation of Power (PDF)

WATCH – Mussolini Becomes Absolute Dictator (Il Duce)

Tasks

Read the following and plan an answer to the following question: ‘The murder of Matteotti was the turning point in Mussolini’s rise to power.’ How far do you agree? (30 marks)

READ – The Murder of Matteotti (History Learning Site)

Check your plan against the criteria in the mark scheme for Paper 4.

Research

To what extent was Mussolini responsible for the murder of Matteotti?

READ – Murder in Fascist Italy: Did Mussolini Have Giacomo Matteotti Killed? (History Answers)

Terminology

Explain why Italy in 1926 was a diarchy. Read the following:

READ – Mussolini’s Dictatorship (History Learning Site)

Stretch Activity

Read pages 127 to 129 in European Dictatorships 1918-1945.
Did a fascist revolution take place, or did the traditional elites limit the control of the Fascist Party?

Consolidate

Complete this summary task on the potential sources of opposition to Mussolini and actions he took to overcome them.

PRINT OUT & COMPLETE – Summary Task: Opposition to Mussolini