Mussolini used violence as a main tactic to help promote his political viewpoint of fascism. Through illegal violence, rather than elections, Fascists controlled government administration and destroyed the offices, newspapers, and cultural and social organizations of the Socialists, trade unions, and peasant leagues (Lyttelton). Socialists had a difficult time reorganizing because of the repeated violence toward local leaders. Large demonstrations, assisted by the police and higher classes, were patriotic, reaffirming the priority of the nation over internationalism. National politics was profoundly affected by the fascist violence. The elections of May 1921, which brought 35 Fascists into the parliament, were preceded by a wave of squad violence
