Use the source and your own knowledge. Explain how Fascism was "unique".

(b) What steps were taken to create a corporate state in Italy and how far were these goals realised?

Mussolini set up corporations through which he could impose central control over all forms of economic activity to end class warfare, in what was known as the Coporate State. Mussolini put fascists in control of the unions, who could negotiate for the workers. Both unions and employers' associations were organized into corporations and were expected to co-operate to settle disputes over pay and working conditions as strikes and lockouts had been prohibited. By 1934 there were 22 coporations each dealing with a seperate industry, and in this way Mussolini hoped to control the workers and direct production. To compensate for their loss of freedom, workers were assured of such benefits as free Sundays and cheap tours and holidays. Therefore by doing this, Mussolini had organised the economy into the corporate state yet had still not destroyed capitalism.

Mussolinis creation of the corporate state improved the respectability of his regime to other foreign countries and also allowed him to higher his own power, which he appeared to be more concerned with by the 1930’s, but Thomson sumed up the situation by saying that the Corporate State's "structure and operation were never as tidy or as comprehensive as the claims of the Party implied."

c) FOREIGN POLICY

Mussolini’s aims for Italy was “to make Italy great, feared and respected", and this aim is reflected through his foreign policy, to a limited extent. This was Mussolini’s very general aim in terms of foreign policy and he had no precise plans or policies and instead relied on his opportunism. This was a strength in one aspect as his policies would therefore change to suit the circumstances.

In the Corfu incident, Mussolini poroved some of Italy’s national pride by gaining money from the Corfu incident and also by controlling the city of fiume in 1924, however failed to keep Corfu. Mussolini occupied Corfu after five Italians ahd been shot there. In doing this, the League of nations were involved. Mussolini won this dispute as the League of nations forced the Greek government to pay a large sum of money to Mussolini, in return for him leaving the island of Corfu. In doing this, Mussolini had gained some national pride of showing his power and gaining money, however he had not com pleted keeping Corfu, which was also a large weakness in . Mussolini had also tried to increase Italy national pride in control of city of Fiume in 1924. D’Annunzio had failed to occupt Fiume, and so, when expelled in December 1920, it remained a ‘free city’. Nevertheless. This ‘mutilated victory’ enflamed nationalist spirit, and, Mussolini sent an Italian military officer to occupyt the towns. Mussolini finally gained Fiume in the treaty of Rome, 1924, where the Yugoslavia government finally give in to Italy, giving them complete control over this long dispouted area. This complete victory of Mussolini’s was highly important in making italy ‘great’ as it provided evidence of its strength in getting what it wanted.

Gain international respect and prestige

· Locarno pact 1925

· Kellogg-Briand pact 1928

· Lateran treaty 1929

· Involvement in Stresa front early 1930’s

· Central role in Munich Agreement 1938

· Mussolini "an architect of peace" 

Develop a colonial Empire

· Infiltration into Albania 1926

· Albania becomes an Italian satellite state

· Invasion of Abyssinia 1935

· Total control of Albania 1939

· Expansion into North Africa

· Invasion of Greece