Totalitarianism

From when he came to power to when he was executed, Mussolini brought about many significant changes in Italy. These changes were in nearly all aspects of Italy – ranging from Italian education, to economy, to religion, and so on. These changes also ranged in terms of their benefit and whether or not they were positive changes or negative changes. First and foremost, the most obvious change that took place in Italy was the transition from an unstable democracy into a Fascist dictatorship. For Mussolini, this was most definitely a success because, as the dictator, he was the most powerful man in Italy. As for the Italian people, this may be viewed as a success at first, since they wanted Mussolini to come to power, but later, as Italy began to break down, the change to a Fascist dictatorship can only be seen as successful for Mussolini. All of the other changes that arose in Italy came about after this transition between governments. A second change that occurred was the attitude towards women and the youth. Women were allowed to work in Italy before Mussolini seized power, but after he seized power, he discouraged them to work outside of the homes and strongly urged them to remain at home (work from there if they must) and procreate. The youth were also affected by change. Mussolini created several Fascist groups that targeted the youth in order to brainwash them and create ideal Fascist citizens out of them. These youth groups were probably successful not only for Mussolini (since one of his goals was to impose Fascism among all Italians), but also for the Italians, as joining these groups sometimes ensured employment after the youth’s schooling was complete. However, in regards to the view towards women, there was no significant success for either Mussolini or the Italians. It is quite obvious that it was not considered a success for Italians because it decreased women’s rights in Italy, but for Mussolini, it was also not a success because he had hoped to increase the population, which did happen, but not as a result of his idea to have women remain at home and focus on procreation. Yet another significant change that occurred in Italy was in education and arts. Education in the pre-Fascist period of Italy was not centered on Fascism, as was the case after Mussolini came to power. This is an obvious success for Mussolini, as it allows him to brainwash students into believing that Fascism is the greatest ideology in the world. For Italians, this may have ruined the education a little, as it may have created bias in most subjects. The same idea applied to the arts. During Mussolini’s reign, the arts focused on Fascist features and centered on Fascism. Again, this is an obvious success for Mussolini because it creates propaganda, which he can use to attract even more of the Italian population towards Fascism. Perhaps the changes brought about in economy as a result of Mussolini were the most significant of changes in Italy. Mussolini implemented several different policies (Battle for Grain, Battle for Land, Battle for Births, etc…) to set economic goals for Italians. The Battle for Grain was intended to increase grain production, which was a success for Mussolini. However, this focus on grain decreased the output of other agricultural products, which was probably not a success for Italians, as having more products allows them to sell more. The Battle for Land was a success for both Mussolini and the Italians because it created more farmland, which benefitted them. The Battle for Births wasn’t so much of an economic policy, but it was still unsuccessful for both Mussolini and the Italians. Mussolini demanded that the population increase, and, although it did, it was not as a result of his demands. It was unsuccessful for Italians because it reduced women’s rights, as they had to focus on staying at home and procreating. Mussolini also imposed autarky, which was the system of economic self-sufficiency. However, the most significant of all economic changes was the fact that Mussolini severely weakened Italian economy, and as a result, Italy went into recession earlier than most European states. This weakening of the economy was success for neither Mussolini nor the Italians. In general, the change brought about by Mussolini’s dictatorial reign yielded more successes to Mussolini than to the Italians, as he was the one that imposed all of the policies. And even if they were not beneficial for the Italians, it could be considered beneficial and successful for him because he achieved some of his goals, such as creating farmland as a result of the Battle for Land and increasing grain production as a result of the Battle for Grain.

Table with Change and Success: