In your opinion, how justified are the criticisms of the new Italy? (10)

Garibaldi and Villari’s criticisms of new Italy were that the politicians and ministers that lead the country were incapable and inadequate to lead a navy and war. This can be seen in source 7 where Garibaldi describes the politicians as ‘ignorant’ and ‘repugnant’ and the main reason why Italy lost the Battle of Lissa with a fleet superior to Austria’s. He goes on to explain that Garibaldi was given six gunboats ‘of which only one could be put into operation - where as the Austrians had eight gunboats mounting thirty-six cannon. Furthermore, Garibaldi entirely blames the ministers of the navy and the army due to a ‘defect in leadership’. In addition, even after union with Venetia, the Italians felt humiliated as they had suffered devastating and embarrassing defeat at the Battle of Custozza and the Battle of Lisa (July 1866). The Austrians were eventually crushed by the Prussians at Sadowa. They were the forced to cede Venice to France, which promptly handed it over to the Italians. The manner in which the Italians gained control over Venice was seen as a disgrace. As Villari expresses in source 8, ‘yet no one is consent’ and goes on to suggest that the war with Austria destroyed their ‘ultimate self-confidence’. Moreover, the source also suggests that the Italians had underestimated the Germans at the time as ‘the traditionally slow Germans were seen to move like lightning’. This source also suggests that the country is badly lead (‘blame is placed on the political system, on Piedmontism or on the bosses’) and that there is a lack of men with ability. Villari then goes on to use a strong and controversial statement as he expresses that ‘Italy must now begin to recognise that she has at home an enemy which is stronger than Austria’. By this phrase he means that ignorance in Italy poses a greater threat than foreign intervention (Austria). Villari also emphasises the illiteracy and lack of education, mainly in southern Italy and how it will only keep pushing Italy backwards.

To give the process of transfer from Austrian rule to Italy the same veneer of legitimacy which others regions had enjoyed, a plebiscite was held on 20 October 1866. The result was as one sided as in previous plebiscites with 647,246 voting in favour of joining with Italy and 69 against. This was again in a way embarrassing because it was obvious that the votes were rigged.

To conclude, the criticisms of Villari and Garibaldi are justified because the manner in which Venice had been won after such a humiliating defeat on land and at sea highlighted Italy’s lack of military independence and power. The war of 1866 was a catastrophe which damaged the national psyche.