2025 AQA AS HISTORY Component 2L Italy and Fascism,
c1900–1945 – The Crisis of Liberal Italy and the Rise of
Mussolini, c1900–1926 Question Paper & Mark Scheme
(Merged) Monday 19 May 2025 [VERIFIED]
AS
HISTORY
Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945
Component 2L The crisis of Liberal Italy and the Rise of Mussolini, c1900–1926
Monday 19 May 2025 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7041/2L.
Answer two questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer either Question 02 or Question 03.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
You are advised to spend about:
– 50 minutes on Section A
– 40 minutes on Section B.
IB/M/Jun25/G4001/E6 7041/2L
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From a speech to Fascists in Bologna by Mussolini, April 1922.
We Fascists have a clear programme: we must move on, led by pillars of fire, because we
are insulted and not understood. And, however much violence may be deplored, it is
evident that we, in order to make our ideas understood, must beat stubborn skulls with
resounding blows. We are violent because it is necessary to be so. All those acts of
violence which appear in the newspapers must have the character of a legitimate act of 5
revenge, because we have to fight the enemy within. The Socialists are tyrannical, illiberal
and overbearing. What we are creating today is a revolution to break the Socialists.
Source B
From a description of a Fascist attack in 1922 in ‘The Rise of Italian Fascism’ by A Rossi,
an Italian socialist and historian, published in London, 1938.
At Mantua, a lorry drew up one night outside the local Socialist club. Darkness had
already fallen. With eyes glaring, the Fascists shouted, ‘Hands up’. The workers present,
who were playing cards or reading newspapers, obeyed. The Fascists, revolvers in hand,
forced them to leave one by one. At the door, others were in wait for them with daggers
and heavy clubs. Blows were rained on their heads and shoulders, and they were stabbed 5
in the back. 38 were stabbed, including old men, three disabled soldiers and a 14-year-old
child. At a blast from the whistle, the Fascists got back into the lorry, after emptying the
till, and disappeared into the night.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, which
of these two sources is more valuable in explaining Fascist violence in Italy in 1922?
[25 marks]
IB/M/Jun25/7041/2L
c1900–1945 – The Crisis of Liberal Italy and the Rise of
Mussolini, c1900–1926 Question Paper & Mark Scheme
(Merged) Monday 19 May 2025 [VERIFIED]
AS
HISTORY
Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945
Component 2L The crisis of Liberal Italy and the Rise of Mussolini, c1900–1926
Monday 19 May 2025 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 16-page answer book.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7041/2L.
Answer two questions.
In Section A answer Question 01.
In Section B answer either Question 02 or Question 03.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 50.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
Advice
You are advised to spend about:
– 50 minutes on Section A
– 40 minutes on Section B.
IB/M/Jun25/G4001/E6 7041/2L
, 2
Section A
Answer Question 01.
Source A
From a speech to Fascists in Bologna by Mussolini, April 1922.
We Fascists have a clear programme: we must move on, led by pillars of fire, because we
are insulted and not understood. And, however much violence may be deplored, it is
evident that we, in order to make our ideas understood, must beat stubborn skulls with
resounding blows. We are violent because it is necessary to be so. All those acts of
violence which appear in the newspapers must have the character of a legitimate act of 5
revenge, because we have to fight the enemy within. The Socialists are tyrannical, illiberal
and overbearing. What we are creating today is a revolution to break the Socialists.
Source B
From a description of a Fascist attack in 1922 in ‘The Rise of Italian Fascism’ by A Rossi,
an Italian socialist and historian, published in London, 1938.
At Mantua, a lorry drew up one night outside the local Socialist club. Darkness had
already fallen. With eyes glaring, the Fascists shouted, ‘Hands up’. The workers present,
who were playing cards or reading newspapers, obeyed. The Fascists, revolvers in hand,
forced them to leave one by one. At the door, others were in wait for them with daggers
and heavy clubs. Blows were rained on their heads and shoulders, and they were stabbed 5
in the back. 38 were stabbed, including old men, three disabled soldiers and a 14-year-old
child. At a blast from the whistle, the Fascists got back into the lorry, after emptying the
till, and disappeared into the night.
0 1 With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, which
of these two sources is more valuable in explaining Fascist violence in Italy in 1922?
[25 marks]
IB/M/Jun25/7041/2L
