History of Fascism

Fascism took its roots in Italy in the post-World War I era when its democratically elected governments struggled to deal with the negative effects of the war. The Fascist movement was formed by Benito Mussolini, who transformed it into a political party with promises of hypernationalism and internal unity. Fascist black-shirt squads raided through Italy and used violence and intimidation to manipulate King Victor Emmanuel III into asking them to form a new government. On October 28, 1922, the Fascist party marched through Rome, officially declaring itself the new government of Italy. Reformations swept through the government and Mussolini used his power to radically change the country, both architecturally and through policy. Xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and other intolerant beliefs rose, culminating in the late 1930s with Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia, the declaration of the Fascist Empire, the enactment of Italian Racial Laws, and the alliance of the Fascist government with Nazi Germany. In 1943, the Fascist government of Italy fell due to rising resistance by the other members of the government, strong anti-Fascist movements throughout the country by citizens, and the weakening of the party through losses on the war front against the Allies. Mussolini was eventually executed by Italian resistance members, called the partisans, in 1945.