State any three reasons for the Rise of Fascism in Italy.

(1) DISSATISFACTION WITH THE PEACE SETTLEMENT — although Italy had fought on the winning side, she was denied the territories promised by the secret Treaty of London of 1915. The sense of a "mutilated victory" created bitter resentment that Mussolini exploited. (2) ECONOMIC DISTRESS — the war left Italy with heavy debt, unemployment, inflation and food shortages; strikes and peasant seizure of land spread, and the people lost faith in a government that could not help them. (3) WEAK GOVERNMENT AND THE FEAR OF COMMUNISM — a succession of unstable coalition ministries proved helpless, while the success of the Russian Revolution frightened industrialists, landowners and the middle classes into supporting Mussolini, who promised order, discipline and national greatness. He came to power after the March on Rome in 1922.

One mark per reason. The three safest are the disappointment over the peace settlement, economic distress, and weak government combined with fear of communism. The phrase "mutilated victory" is Italy’s own and is worth quoting — it captures the grievance in two words. Note what distinguishes Italy from Germany: Italy was a VICTOR who felt cheated; Germany was a DEFEATED power humiliated by Versailles. Both ended in dictatorship, from opposite starting points.