Life in Fascist Italy

Life in Mussolini’s Italy was little different from other dictatorships which existed between 1918 and 1939.Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Russia were to use (and expand) on developments that had been in existence in Fascist Italy since the 1920’s. People had little control over their personal life and the state controlled as much of you as they could. Those who opposed the state were suitably punished.  

Dealing with opposition


Though they were probably less feared than Hitler’s SS, the Blackshirts did maintain an iron rule in Italy. One favoured way of making people conform was to tie a ‘troublemaker’ to a tree, force a pint or two of castor oil down the victim’s throat and force him to eat a live toad/frog etc. This punishment was enough to ensure people kept their thoughts to themselves. The murderous tactics used by the Gestapo and SS in Germany were rarely used in Italy.

When Mussolini said:


the message was clear – those who wanted to rock the boat would be suitably dealt with.


Mussolini in uniform



Education in Fascist Italy

Adults who opposed Mussolini were dealt with harshly. However, the children were the Fascists of the future and Mussolini took a keen interest in the state’s education system and the youth organisations that existed in Italy. Hitler used the same approach in Nazi Germany.




Age Group


Sons of the She Wolf

4 to 8

Black shirt


8 to 14 Black shirt, black cap, shorts, grey socks


14 to 18

Same as Balilla except knickerbockers instead of shorts.

Boys were taught that fighting for them was a natural extension of the normal male lifestyle. One of the more famous Fascist slogans was “War is to the male what childbearing is to the female.” Girls were taught that giving birth was natural – while for boys, fighting was the same – natural. 



Members of the Balilla had to remember the following:

“I believe in Rome, the Eternal, the mother of my country……I believe in the genius of Mussolini…and in the resurrection of the Empire.”

The glory of the old Roman Empire always lurked in the background of much of what children did. A child in a youth movements was a “legionary” while an adult officer was a “centurion” – a throw back to the days of when the Ancient Roman army dominated much of western Europe.

Women in Fascist Italy

As in Nazi Germany, women were seen as having a specific role in Fascist Italy. The task of young girls was to get married and have children – lots of them. In 1927, Mussolini launched his Battle for Births.

Mussolini believed that his Italy had a smaller population than it should have. How could it possibly be a power to reckon with, without a substantial population and a substantial army? Women were encouraged to have children and the more children brought better tax privileges – an idea Hitler was to build on. Large families got better tax benefits but bachelors were hit by high taxation.

Families were given a target of 5 children. Mothers who produced more were warmly received by the Fascist government. In 1933, Mussolini met 93 mothers at the Palazzo Venezia who had produced over 1300 children – an average of 13 each!
