Question

What did Mussolini do to solve the problem of unemployment ?

Answer 1

Hint:
Benito Mussolini is best remembered as Italy's dictator or Hitler's inept ally
He believed in government's control of the economy.
He was infuriated to see the socialists decision opposing Italy's entry in world war I because he believed that Italy could emerge from the war with an empire like Great Britain and France.

Complete answer:
-Mussolini wanted to advance the economic state of Italy and his plans were based on a two-fold approach.
-These approaches were :

1. Attacking the power of trade unions.
2. Controlling the workers and setting Italy targets as he had with his battle for births.
3. He introduced three battles - The Battle of Land, The Battle of Lira and The Battle of Grain.

-Mussolini established the cartels for businesses, banks, labour unions, farmers and professional people.
-He introduced conscription for non-military work as well as military services.
-As a result, industrial production was down, imports were down, exports were down and unemployment was up. By 1920, the economy was in a huge convulsion, with mass unemployment, food shortages and several strikes.
-Theoretically, Mussolini's plans were laudable but he could not overcome the weaknesses to promote Italy's economic growth.
-Mussolini turned into a dictator in 1925 after abolishing the democratic government and took a disastrous decision to participate in the second world war on Germany's side when the majority of Italians were against it.
-He couldn't support the prolonged war economically, as the army was equipped with obsolete rifles, only a thousand planes and no tanks.
-As a result, taxes were increased to pay for war, food rationing started and a 30% fall in real wages.
-In his dictatorship, Mussolini established peace and order in the country. He took several steps to improve the economical condition-

1. He made changes and advancements in the industrial field of business.
2. He made industries free from strike epidemics.
3. "The charter of the labour" issued by him provided great relief to the workers.
4. All factories and mills were nationalised to improve the lot of workers.

Note:
The battle of land - started in 1928, aimed to clear the marshland and make it suitable for farming and also reclaiming land, reducing health risk and to provide more jobs.
The battle of Lira - started in 1926, aimed to reduce inflation and fix the Lira, proving the power of the Lira and Italy.
The Battle of Grains : started in 1925, aimed to increase bread and cereal production in Italy to reduce the necessity for imports. It became Equivalent to the Green Revolution.