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What are the sources of Hitler’s and Mussolini’s political power?

In order to asses the view of the source’s of Hitler and Mussolini’s political power. I feel that you must look at the backgrounds of both Hitler and Mussolini, Where they came from and, what influenced their powers, in order to find out what were the souses, I will therefore be looking in turn both Mussolini and then Hitler. It will also be important to establish when and where they were able to establish themselves as dictators as that would have been there climax of political power.  

Benito Mussolini was born July 29th 1883, he came from a small town of Predappio, Mussolini came from a poor background, his father was a blacksmith and his mother was a school teacher. Mussolini himself was originally a teacher.

In 1903 Mussolini was working as a bricklayer in Switzerland, he had always been fond of politics and believed that Italy should be ruled by an Italian government. He had not yet developed his fanatical political views, however ‘he had read widely and with in a year was preaching the need for violent revolution. it is here that we first see a political drive to initiate change. Mussolini returned from Switzerland in 1904 as his ideas to strike were very radical idea at the time. By 1909 he was back in Italy with a determination to bring change to Italy’s political structure.

Mussolini’s ideology can be seen as his driving force behind his political power. His father Alessandro was a socialist and a republican however had very strong nationalist views of Italy being governed by an Italian and not someone from the monarchy. Mussolini was still considered a socialist, but his view changed towards world war one. Mussolini was expelled from the party as he felt the war would lead to revolution. During his time as a socialist, Mussolini was able to extend his views through the newspaper which he became an editor of ‘Avanti’ Mussolini seemed to have natural leadership skills and a need for knowledge, he was constantly influenced by syndicalists like A.O Olivetti and Sergio Panunzio, even though he never followed the faith he found parts of their ideology such as revolution, potential of trade unions appealing.      

Mussolini made it obvious to who ever would listen he was becoming a nationalist he stated that Italian’s were a race which had 3 times given civilisation to a barbarian world, he called them the most solid and homogeneous people in Europe. The Italian’s according to Mussolini were destined to raise the flag of imperialism throughout the Mediterranean and make Rome once again the centre of civilisation. Mussolini disliked foreigners who spoke of the glory of Italian art and climate; he thought it gave Italians a bad reputation of being disinclined to fight and eager for pleasure. He was determined to change their reputation and make them less nice, more hateful, and violent. As a prime minister he told Italians to consider themselves in permanent state of war, and remarked his first priority was to increase military readiness to the very maximum.

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Mussolini’s had many talents, which can be considered as one of Mussolini’s sources of power. His journalistic skills, which were on daily display in his newspaper ‘IL Popolo d’Italia’ he was able to gain immense support from the general public through his editorials. One of the aspects which I feel this was the source of all Mussolini’s power. Without the support as well as his violent tactics, to rid of any completion or treat Mussolini was able climb the political ladder to the top.

Mussolini was able to gain high amounts of support from the general public, he was not only able ...

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