Was Mussolini an all powerful dictator?
If a man was described as a dictator one would rightly think of a ruler who dictates to his country and does not rule democratically. Dictators tend to come to power by gaining the support of the masses but once in power exercise an absolute, and often arbitrary and illiberal rule. They are intolerant of any opposition, repressing them through the use of secret police, to ensure complete control. An all-powerful dictator would ensure that he was irreplaceable, in absolute and total control of the state. Mussolini had the semblance of a dictator. He advocated an aggressive foreign policy and was even consulted about when the police could wear summer uniforms! Indeed at first glance Mussolini was seemingly an all-powerful dictator. However, many believe that with closer inspection the concept of Mussolini being all-powerful establishes itself as something of a myth- The Mussolini Myth.
Mussolini can be seen as a powerful dictator as he maintained strong control over his party, rather than allowing it to dictate to him or share power with him. The Fascists expected that now Mussolini was in power they would take over the state. This however, was not the case. Mussolini did not give all the top government positions to Fascist’s but kept non- Fascist’s in his cabinet. Mussolini believed that the PNF were a liability and that they obstructed the way to gaining the support of the elites and industrialists as the PNF had been discredited for their violence. Industrialists wanted to invest in a stable country, not a country run a radicals. Mussolini wanted to create a bureaucracy, and saw that the squads were inappropriate so in 1925 the Fascist Grand council ordered the disbandment of the squads urging members to join the MSVN. Although the Fascist Grand council was set up as a rival to the cabinet it merely had the appearance of power and did not make any major decisions, leaving them to Mussolini supreme. In 1925 Mussolini the Duce became permanent leader of the PNF and all party posts were appointed not elected. Mussolini ensured that the party was subject to the state rather than the state to the party. 1926 saw locally elected mayors replaced by Podestas. These were more powerful than the Ras, and worked directly for Mussolini as opposed to the party. In 1927 a circular was sent to prefects stating that the party was an ‘instrument of the states will’ and must collaborate in a subordinate fashion’ with the prefect. The party seemed to become less and less important whilst Mussolini became more powerful. Mussolini used members of the party to centralise it such as Farinacci, and dismissed him once he had done this to prevent him becoming too powerful. This can be seen as something typical from a dictator. Clearly Mussolini was not a weak leader but a strong dictator who ensured his position by taking control over the party which helped him into power and by weakening it so that he could rule supreme.
