The Italian State and the League of Nations

Abstract

This chapter investigates the relationship between the Italian state and the League of Nations. It focuses on the reasons behind the long Italian membership of the League, as well as the process that led to its end. By analysing the Fascist government’s appropriation of internationalism through its support to Rome-based international institutes and the commitment to disarmament, this chapter shows how the League was more important to Italian foreign relations than previously recognized. Far from being an obstructive member from the beginning, at the political level, Fascist Italy was not considered particularly problematic until the outbreak of the Ethiopian crisis. By developing a positive reputation as a country committed to international cooperation, the Italian government hoped to obtain practical benefits, especially in the colonial sphere.