Final answer:
The correct answer is option a) The Italian monarchy.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1921, the Fascist Party was invited to join the government of the Italian monarchy. This decision was taken by King Victor Emmanuel III in an effort to stave off the threat of communism in the country. Benito Mussolini, the leader of the National Fascist Party, was appointed prime minister with the task to form a government. He came to power partly as a result of social unrest and the fear of a communist revolution in Italy, similar to that in the Soviet Union.
Once in power, Mussolini and the Fascists began to dismantle the democratic institutions and initiated a period of totalitarian rule. They manipulated the parliament, suppressed opposition, and by 1926 had established a one-party state, with all other parties being banned. Mussolini's title was Il Duce and his rule was characterized by the motto 'believe, obey, fight,' which underpinned the Fascist ideology of nationalism and anti-communism.