The+Rise+of+Fascism

**__The Rise of Fascism in Italy__ **
After the World War I, the economy in Italy was chaotic and the government was corrupt so Benito Mussolini started the Fascist Party in 1922 to create order and gain control. There were many reasons that fascism appealed to the common people of Italy. Here are a few examples: · The people of Italy were turning to other forms of government due to the immense economic problems. · Fascism was not clearly developed yet so it appealed to all groups of people. · The fear of communism led to support for the fascists who were very anti-communist. · The emphasis upon law and order was appealing because it was seen as an alternative to social unrest. · Fascism gave its members a sense of identity. · Traditional parties lacked inspiration and the fascists represented a dynamic alternative. Fascism did improve various parts of Italian affairs, such as cultivating more land, irrigating the marshes in Northern Italy, increasing the production of corn, improving the railway and road networks, and also creating more employment. It was through this that Mussolini and the Fascists won the support of the working class.  However, the Fascists were turning Italy into an authoritarian state with Mussolini as "Il-Duce" or the absolute leader. Some of the characteristics of fascism were; that the individual should distrust reason and simply obey, that they should deny equality and destroy the weak, that violence is an essential tool, total state control of the lives of the individuals (totalitarianism), and that soldiers were valued above all other citizens. Fascism also emphasized victory, glorified war, and was irrational and intolerant to the Italian people.