War weariness, social antagonisms between the industrial north and a virtually feudal south (Paxton 146),

skyrocketing inflation, massive industrial strikes, and deadly clashes between police and nationalist
demonstrators carried Italy to the brink of revolution (Paxton 147) before Mussolini came to power.

Spring, 1919:
Mussolini and his Fascist fellows call for the
dissolution of the state: a constituent
assembly, the vote for women, abolition of
the Senate, a tax on capital, and eight-hour
work day in industry, workers share in
control of factories, confiscation of Church
property, and a redistribution of land for
peasants (Paxton 204).
http://theaphorism.
wordpress.
com/2012/06/

1919:
Italian socialists endorsed the franchise (universal male suffrage had been
introduced in 1913) but...failed to make suffrage a political priority. The
Chamber of Deputies voted for women's suffrage in 1919, but the Senate had
not approved it before the legislature was prematurely dissolved in 1921. A
divorce bill was also introduced in 1919 but failed to win sufficient support
from the Socialist Party, while it triggered violent reactions by Catholics and
the new women's groups that had been founded for the defense of the family
(Alaia).

Fall 1920-1922:
Italian government becomes less and less
capable of running the country. Mussolini
calls up the squadristi, a militant police-force
who forcefully take over parts of northern
Italy.