HOW SUCCESSFUL WERE MUSSOLINI’S ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL ITALIAN POPULATION?
INDOCTRINATION OF EDUCATION + YOUTH
*Focus on youth to create loyal generation of Italian fascists*
- Dec. 1921 = Fascist Youth Front = for boys 14-17 = Fascist education early on.
- Balilla = children 8-14 years.
- 1924 = 3000 children were formally involved with fascist youth organisations.
- Once dictatorship was established 1925 = focus on youth became formalised.
- 3rd April 1926 = Opera Nazionale Balilla = ONB = created by formal decree = aim to provide ‘for the physical +
moral benefit of youth’ = for boys 8-18.
- Figlie della Lupa = Daughters of the She Wolf = girls 6-8.
- Piccole Italiane = Little Italians = girls 8-13.
- Giovane Italiane = Young Italian Women = 14-17.
- 1929 Ministry of National Education = controlled all these organisations.
- Had to oversee scholarly education + physical training = ensure focus on creating loyal gen. of fascists was
being implemented.
- ONB = linked to formal education system = compulsory for boys + girls = 6 - 11 years.
- Non-membership = difficult to enrol in further education/ barred employment in civil service/ reason for
anti-fascist suspicions.
- 1937 = youth organisations = membership of 7 million = popular = parents WANTED to send their children.
FAILURES:
- Before dictatorship = youth organisaitons not organised + sutrcutred = competed with other organisations
from other political parties.
- Considerable divide between success in North + South = Southern children didn’t study beyond 11 = nature
of agriculture made it difficult to join organisations.
- Boys had more physical activities + girls taught to become mothers.
- Was indoctrination of youth due to youth organisations OR their general enjoyment in these activities?
SUCCESSES:
- Aim = provide ‘for the physical + moral benefit of youth’
- School textbooks told students of poor treatment of Italian soldiers in WW1 + how fascism saved the country
from communist revolution.
- Boys’ programmes aimed at producing young, fascist leaders.
- Membership of ONB = benefits = jobs + special scholarships.
OPERA NAZIONALE DOPOLAVORO (OND)
- 1925 = provided workers with variety of social + sporting opportunities.
FAILURES:
- Fascists make sure OND = ideology free = no sporting/ social/ educational activities for workers featured
direct promotions of fascist beliefs.
- Workers could benefit from OND without any real commitment to fascist regime/ ideals.
- Became clear that people joined because of the mass range of services it provided.
- Did people take advantage of its perks? Or did they truly support fascism?
INDOCTRINATION OF EDUCATION + YOUTH
*Focus on youth to create loyal generation of Italian fascists*
- Dec. 1921 = Fascist Youth Front = for boys 14-17 = Fascist education early on.
- Balilla = children 8-14 years.
- 1924 = 3000 children were formally involved with fascist youth organisations.
- Once dictatorship was established 1925 = focus on youth became formalised.
- 3rd April 1926 = Opera Nazionale Balilla = ONB = created by formal decree = aim to provide ‘for the physical +
moral benefit of youth’ = for boys 8-18.
- Figlie della Lupa = Daughters of the She Wolf = girls 6-8.
- Piccole Italiane = Little Italians = girls 8-13.
- Giovane Italiane = Young Italian Women = 14-17.
- 1929 Ministry of National Education = controlled all these organisations.
- Had to oversee scholarly education + physical training = ensure focus on creating loyal gen. of fascists was
being implemented.
- ONB = linked to formal education system = compulsory for boys + girls = 6 - 11 years.
- Non-membership = difficult to enrol in further education/ barred employment in civil service/ reason for
anti-fascist suspicions.
- 1937 = youth organisations = membership of 7 million = popular = parents WANTED to send their children.
FAILURES:
- Before dictatorship = youth organisaitons not organised + sutrcutred = competed with other organisations
from other political parties.
- Considerable divide between success in North + South = Southern children didn’t study beyond 11 = nature
of agriculture made it difficult to join organisations.
- Boys had more physical activities + girls taught to become mothers.
- Was indoctrination of youth due to youth organisations OR their general enjoyment in these activities?
SUCCESSES:
- Aim = provide ‘for the physical + moral benefit of youth’
- School textbooks told students of poor treatment of Italian soldiers in WW1 + how fascism saved the country
from communist revolution.
- Boys’ programmes aimed at producing young, fascist leaders.
- Membership of ONB = benefits = jobs + special scholarships.
OPERA NAZIONALE DOPOLAVORO (OND)
- 1925 = provided workers with variety of social + sporting opportunities.
FAILURES:
- Fascists make sure OND = ideology free = no sporting/ social/ educational activities for workers featured
direct promotions of fascist beliefs.
- Workers could benefit from OND without any real commitment to fascist regime/ ideals.
- Became clear that people joined because of the mass range of services it provided.
- Did people take advantage of its perks? Or did they truly support fascism?
