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After World War One ends, Italy experiences severe economic problems. Inflation grew, and both industrial and agricultural workers staged strikes. Socialists began to speak of revolution.
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Benito Mussolini, a former socialist, creates the League of Combat. From this grew the philosophy of fascism. With fascism, the state is glorified above the individual by emphasizing the need for a strong central governmentled by a dictatorial ruler.
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The fascist movement starts and begins to flourish throughout the years.
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Along with this situation came adrought. This caused a terrible famine between 1920 and 1922, and as many as 5 million lives were lost.
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The NEP was a modified version of the old capitalist system. Peasants were allowed to sell their produce openly. Retail stores, as well as small industries that employed fewer than 20 workers, could be privately owned and operated. Heavy industry, banking, and mines, however, remained in the hands of the government.
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After the war, peasants sabotaged the communist program by hoarding all of their food. It became more of a problem when drought caused a terrible famine.
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At this point, 5 million people have died from the famine, and Russia was exhausted. A peasant banner proclaimed, "Down with Lenin and horse flesh. Bring back the czar and pork."
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By this time, a revived market and a good harvest had brought an end to famine. Soviet agricultural production climbed to 75 percent of its prewar level.
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The middle-class fear of socialism, communism, and disorder made the Fascists increasingly attractive to many people.
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Mussolini threatened to march on Rome if the fascists were not given power. The king of Italy, Victor Emanuel III gives in and makes Mussolini prime minister.
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Leader of the social Bolshevik movement Vladimir Lenin dies at the age of 54 from syphilis.
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The fascists had outlawd many political parties in Italy. Later on Fascist had established a secret police, which was known as the OVRA. The ending of that year, Mussolini ruled Italy as their leader.
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Once the fascists outlawed all other political parties, they established a secret police, known as the OVRA. By the end of the year, Benito Mussolini ruled Italy as Il Duce, or "The Leader".
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The OVRA watched citizens' political activities and enforced government policies. Also, the Italian fascists also tried to exercise control over all forms of mass media,including newspapers, radio, and film. With this, Fascist propaganda was spreading rapidly.
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only two main europeion states remained democratic. Italy and many other European states had adopted dictatorial regimes. Many regimes took old and new forms. A new form of dictatorship was the modern totalitarian state.
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These youth groups particularly focused on military activities and values. With these, the Fascists hoped to create a new nation of Italians who were fit, disciplined, and war-loving.