Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Mussolini's Economic Policies
1925-1940
- Autarky
- Expensive work schemes 1930s
- put the unemployed back to
work, Roads, railways and power
plants were built without foreign
help. Italy did not suffer the effects
of the Depression as bad
- Suffered from a massive lack of raw
materials at the start of WWII - had to
import materials, this was expensive
and meant Italy could not match its
enemies in weapons and shipbuilding
- Expensive military activities in
Ethiopia (1935) and Spain (1937)
showed limitations in Italy's military
power and the failure of the Autarky
programme - valuable equipment
and raw materials were wasted
- 1925 Battle of the Grain - aimed
to increase grain production so
that Italy could feed itself in
wartime. Grants were given to
farmworkers and advised them
on modern methods
- Grain production increased
- 5.5 million tonnes in 1925
to 7 million tonnes in 1935.
Imports dropped by 75%
- Propaganda
- Wheat production -
increased by 100%
between 1929-39, the
Battle of Grain
appeared successful
- 5,000km of railways built
1925-40 - showed
strength of industry
- Employed a huge civil service,
protected the middle class
from poverty. Dopolavoro -
distracted from every day life
and maintained Fascist
popularity during WII
- National holidays introduced 1938
- Battle for the Marshes - Pontine
Marshes (near Rome) were a
source of malaria. These were
drained and farms were set up -
public health improved
- Living Standards
- Wages fell 10% 1925-38
- Food prices rose steeply and
consumption of meat, fruit and
vegetables fell - middle classes did
better but most standards fell
- Traditional exports (wine and olive oil)
declined - land had been turned over to
grain production. This land was
unsuitable and made farming expensive,
as well as food prices - many farm
workers lost their jobs
- Industrial Control
- Large shipbuilding contracts were
placed on companies - to make Italy
more self sufficient. 50% of steel
production and 80% of shipbuilding
was under government control
- Corporate state (Fascist control) was
resisted by the Confindustria (big
businesses) - Mussolini did not want to
anger this group.
- 1927 - Labour charter drawn up
to support private ownership of
businesses - employers
controlled working and hours and
didn't have to give holiday pay
- Industrailists - supported Mussolini, he
took a non-threatening stance towards
them. They enjoyed power and
independence and ignored Corporations
- Mussolini feared alienating big
businesses - Ministry of
Corporations became weak and
ineffective, workers had little choice
in labour disputes