Firstly, Mussolini’s party and promises appealed more to the rich, as socialism in Italy was gaining more ground and they feared a Bolshevik-style revolution as seen in Russia in previous years. When the upper class saw how easily Mussolini’s combat squads crushed the workers’ movement in 1919, they, the government, and prominent politicians were quick to praise and thank Mussolini, especially financially. This helped the Fascists appear more respectable to the Italian public and Mussolini’s image as Italy’s saviour was bolstered. Hitler, on the other hand, appealed more towards the middle and lower class of the Weimar Republic. This was because Hitler stepped in at a desperate time for the people of the Weimar Republic; the Great Depression had begun and many people were living in poverty and were unable to afford their basic necessities.…