... elites were shaken by strikes, which became increasingly large and frequent, and by the closing of foreign markets. The parliamentary government that was set up after the war failed to ease these dire conditions, and Italians wanted radical reforms. For the working class, this meant socialism. In 1919, the socialists won about a third of the seats in the Chamber ... , however, did little to lessen Italy's plight during the worldwide depression of the 1930s. Like Nazism later, fascism had contradictory elements. It sought to restore traditional authority and, at the same time, mobilize al...

• Word Count: 5609
• Approx Pages: 22
• Grade Level: Undergraduate