ABSTRACT
In purely numerical terms the Massaie Rurali section was a huge success (see Table 9.1). Membership grew steadily, if unevenly, to an impressive three million members at its height, making it easily the largest women’s section in the Party (Table 9.2). 1 This chapter explores how this was achieved, focusing in particular on the various recruitment methods deployed and on women’s motivations for joining. It will also consider some explanations for the great regional diversity of membership levels. National membership – Sezione Massaie Rurali https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
Date (end of Fascist Year’)
Number of members
28 Oct 1935
241,654
28 Oct 1936
571,663
28 Oct 1937
895,514
28 Oct 1938
1,191,086
28 Oct 1939
1,481,321
28 Oct 1940
1,656,941
28 Oct 1941
1,968,731
28 Oct 1942
2,502,201
25 July 1943
2,914,355
National membership – Fasci Femminili and Sezione Operaie e Lavoranti a Domicilio https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">Date (end of Fascist Year’)
Fasci Femminili
SOLD
28 Oct 1938
743,786
309,945
28 Oct 1939
774,181
501,415
28 Oct 1940
845,304
616,286
28 Oct 1941
938,507
761,927
28 Oct 1942
1,027,409
864,922
Source notes for Tables 9.1, 9.2, 9.5, 9.6
The 1935-41 figures are taken from fogli d’ordini or fogli di disposizioni. Although these are official figures I feel confident that they are generally accurate since, where they can be cross-checked from more confidential archive documents, the figures match exactly or only vary by a tiny amount.a
The 1942–3 figures are from ACS, PNF, DN, SV, Ser II, b. 556, fasc. ‘Prospetti delle tessere e marche di convalida e distintivi del PNF dal 29 ott al 25 luglio 1943’. The figures for 1942 are the number of cards renewed from 1941–2 for the following year by stamping them. The figures for 1943 are these figures plus the numbers of new cards issued for each province. I am uncertain about the precise accuracy of the 1942 figures as they are clearly rounded up or down in most cases. I am not, moreover, able to cross-check these figures, as I have found no other source for these years. They do not, however, seem implausible given the general trend of the overall rise in membership in the preceding years.
a See, for example, correspondence related to the ordering of the newspaper in ACS, PNF, DN, SV, Ser I, b.287, fasc. ‘La Massaia rurale and fasc. ‘Giornali vari femminili’. See also in ACS, PNF, DN, SV, Ser II, b.264, fasc. ‘Varie e contributi’ which lists of numbers of members in each Federation for 1935–6 and 1936–7 to see what level of national subsidy each should receive. Other archival confirmation includes a bound PNF national account book for A.XIX (1940–1). Under the heading ‘Massaie rurali’ income from 2,002,117 cards at L.0.70 each is recorded (making L. 1,401,481.90). (ACS, SPD–CR, b.33 1922–43, fasc. ‘Bilanci del PNF’.) See also the document dated 15 July 1943 in ACS, PNF, DN, Ser II, b.820, fasc. ‘Pratiche diverse’ which lists numbers of Party cards issued.
