This report will explore the relationship between Church and State in both Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany. The position of the church prior to change of government will first be taken into account, providing both a better understanding of the events that followed, the societies in question and their perception of church and government. Figures of government opposition will be researched. The levels of intolerance will be looked at in each country and a search for reasons behind each dictators approach to religion. Hopefully by the end of researching the subject, an informed conclusion on the subject will have been reached that identifies the cultural differences of society and the ideological tenets of State that for a while dictated the place of the Church and its role to the populace.
A Modern History of the Catholic Church in Italy in the 19th Century
The unification of Italy saw a restructuring of Italian government and power. Prior to the late 1800’s Italy didn’t function as a nation with a central power base, it was a network of small independent provinces, with Pope Pius IX being the only authority with power extended beyond the province.
The unification or ‘il Risorgimento’, could be characterised as the evolution of a clandestine social agenda, with its aims to create a new centralised government free of papal dictate, and to become a nation strong enough to rid itself of Austrian occupation, which ruled Italy through the strength of The Holy Alliance. (Derrick Murphy, 2008)
From the 1820’s onwards, the next half century saw alliances made and broken and states’ independence won and taken away. However, the agenda to consolidate the provinces was pushed forward with steady progress over time. Government figures also