Fascist dictarorship

Fascist economy:

• Mussolini promoted a capitalist economic model.
• He promoted the heavy industrial sector.
• He sought self-sufficiency and imports were limited.
• Public works were developed under this regime.
• Fascist trade unions were created to represent the workers and the others were banned.

Fascist society:

• Fascism counted on the Catholic support. Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty in 1929 with the Pope Pius XI: Italy acknowledged the independence of the Vatican as a sovereign state.
• Catholicism was the Italian official religion.
• Only religious marriages would be allowed.
• Mussolini became more racist with Jews after his approach to Hitler.
• Everything was completely controlled by Mussolini and the Fascist National Party, who imposed censorship and propaganda

 International policy:

 Mussolini believed in Imperialism. Hence he meant to create an Italian empire:

• The rule over Libya was consolidated.
• Mussolini conquered and annexed Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1936.
• Albania and Somalia were occupied in 1939.

 Due to international conflicts with France and Great Britain, Mussolini got closer to Hitler’s Germany. The Rome-Berlin Axis was created on 1st November 1936. The Pact of Steel was signed between Hitler and Mussolini on 22nd May 1939. Japan also joined this pact to fight against communism (Anti-Comintern Pact).