The Origins of Fascism

Abstract

Italy, united in 1870, was usually described as a liberal state. Although the constitution gave the Grown great power, the three kings, even including the first Victor Emmanuel, accepted parliamentary control in a way in which this was never accepted by the rulers in Vienna or Berlin before 1914. Italian liberalism, however, had a very narrow base. In 1882 this had been slightly broadened by increasing the electorate from 2 per cent to 7 per cent of the whole population. But Italy remained a narrow oligarchy until the circumstances of the twentieth century overtook it