Question

With reference to the rise of dictatorship in Europe after the First World War, answer the following questions:

1. How did class conflicts lead to the rise of dictatorship that emerged in Italy and Germany after the First World War?
2. How did the decline of democracy help in the rise of dictatorship in Italy and Germany?
3. What was the reason for the failure of the League of Nations?

Answer 1

1. Class conflict increased in many countries after the First World War.
   1. The key issue in much of Europe was whether aristocrats would keep control over the government and economy or if power would shift to less privileged groups.
   2. During the war, people were promised better attention to their economic needs.
   3. However, these promises were not fulfilled, leading to frustration and resentment among the common people.
2. Democracy was introduced in Italy for the first time in 1919.
   1. Elections in 1919 did not give a clear majority to any single party.
   2. This caused political instability, leading to six coalition governments between 1919 and 1922.
   3. The political parties had different policies, creating a lack of continuity in governance.
   4. These governments were ineffective in addressing problems like unemployment, strikes, and riots during 1921–22. 
   5. Mussolini and the Fascists took advantage of this instability by promising strong national leadership.
   6. In Germany, the Nazi Party benefitted from the lack of a strong opposition party.
   7. As a result, the Nazi Party faced little resistance and gained significant popularity.
3. The failure of the League of Nations can be  attributed to the following reasons:
   1. The United States of America did not join the League of Nations.
   2. Major powers in the League focused on their own interests, reducing the League’s effectiveness.
   3. The League lacked the authority to enforce its decisions.
   4. Without a central sovereign power, the League could not act effectively against aggressors, leading to its failure.
   5. The League did not have its own military, making it difficult to intervene in conflicts.