Fascist years: The main reason Italy abolished the monarchy was due to Victor Emanuel III’s complicity during Mussolini’s fascist regime. He appointed Mussolini as Italy’s prime minister in 1922 and remained silent on Mussolini’s treatment of Italian people and his policies. He only acted in 1943 when he deposed Mussolini. However, he then fled to Brindisi in the south of Italy and abandoned Rome, which allowed the Germans to establish a puppet state in northern Italy. This made the monarchy seem cowardly and ignorant to their people’s suffering, causing a massive increase in anti-monarchy sentiment. Many politicians and everyday citizens were for establishing a republic. If Victor Emmanuel had stayed in Rome, do you think he would’ve remained king after the war?

Italian Unification: Italy only became a country in 1861. Before then, it had been a mix of city states and regions belonging to other kingdoms, such as the Austrio-Hungarian Empire and the Spanish crown. This means that what we recognise as Italy today only had monarchs for a relatively short period: less than a hundred years, with only four kings! Italians had less attachment to this ruling dynasty, partially because they lacked the history, partially because Italians still felt stronger connections to their regions and previous kingdoms. Some of the main figures involved in Italian reunification also hoped that, one day, Italy would become a republic. Was it right to implement a ruling dynasty on a newly formed country which could have established itself as a republic?

Political Upset and Fear: A referendum was held on 2 June 1946 in which 53% voted for the abolition of monarchy and 47% voted against it. However, it is widely alleged, although never confirmed, that the referendum was rigged by politicians to allow the republicans to win. In post-war Italy, the second largest political group were communists and Western countries feared Italy would align itself with the eastern bloc. Abolishing the monarchy was a way to appease the left and a way to prevent a communist uprising. Others argued that the vote was rigged because there were 3 million Italians that hadn’t been able to vote. Realistically, the rigging of the vote has never been proven. The pro-monarchy southern Italian votes were counted quicker than the pro-republic northern Italian which initially made it seem as if the public were in favour of the monarchy.

Monarchy vs Republic

Italy: The Birth of the Republic

💁‍♀️ Pop Feminism: Generally, pop feminism refers to the kind of feminism that focused on emphasising ‘girl power’, without critically questioning the existing societal structures. Did pop feminism, aiming for inclusivity, unintentionally reinforce existing structures? Why did the 2010s focus shift towards personal choices over systemic change? This is a great YouTube video if you’re interested in Politics or Sociology!

🧠 Making Memories: Interested in how the brain makes and stores memories? Would you like a breakdown of the different types of memory and means of processing we have? This CrashCourse Psychology video will do just that, giving you the low down on the relationship between the brain and memory. An interesting watch if you are interested in Psychology or Medicine.

🔱 Shipwrecks: What do we do about all the ships at the bottom of the sea? Are there degrading clues giving us insight into the past? Whose responsibility is it to recover all this, or not at all? The case of the San José ship tries to navigate these answers. This article is a fascinating read for anyone interested in History, Anthropology, or International Relations.

25th March - UEA Biology Taster Webinar

26th March - Sheffield German Taster Session

26th March - Essex Economics, Politics, and International Relations Taster

26th March - University of Portsmouth Student Finance Webinar for Parents and Supporters

26th March - St John’s College Cambridge Admissions Clinic

26th March - Trinity College Cambridge MML Webinar (Teachers)

27th March - University of York Public Lecture: Exoplanets and Public Lectures

27th March - University of York Public Lecture: From the Lab to Patients: What Today’s Nuclear Physics Contributes to Tomorrow’s Nuclear Medicine

28th March - St John’s College Cambridge Choosing your Degree Webinar

28th March - Bath Supporting your Child: Student Finance, Scholarships, Bursaries, and Budgeting Webinar