* The Cold War country trends Italy: Communist Party








Italian Communist Party


Figure 1.--These school children are from Melissa in Calabria, one of the poorer region in southern Italy. The Fascists suppressed Communist Party (CPI) activity, but did not change the political orientation of most workers and peasants. The fathers of these children were farmhands belonging to the CPI and they taught their children to greet with a clenched fist.

The Partito Comunista Italiano (PCI) emerged out of the Italian Socialist movement in the aftermath of World War I. Ironically so did Mussolini's Fascist movement. The PCI was founded by radical dissidents of the Italian Socialist Party's left wing (1921). The growing influence of the Socialists and Communists after World War I was a factor in the rise of Fascism. The PCI had different factions. Moscow supported the Or-dine nuovo group led by A. Gramsci based in the northern industrial city of Turin. Sovietrv support bwas vital. Throughout Europe, Soviet supported fsctions would dominate Communist Party orgnizations. This proved the case in Italy. The dominant group was at first led by A. Bordiga. The PCI refused to cooperate with the larger Socialist Party in resisting the rise of Fascism. Moscow helped Gramsci and his associates to take control of the PCI (1923-24). The Fascists moved against the Socialists and especially the Communists, supressing both unions and peasant organizations which were the core of the Party's strength. Benito Mussolini's Fascist government outlawed the Communists along with other political parties, although the PCI was already in tatters (1926). The PCI went underground. They organized, but did not actively opose the Fascists who were not as ruthless in suppressing the Communists as Hitler's NAZI Party. Mussolini in fact began his political career as a Socialist. While the Fascists supressed Communist activities, unlike in NAZI Germany, they were less effective in changing the political orientation of urban and rural workers who contunued to harbor Communist and Socialist loyalties. The PCI was confused along with Communist parties around the world when Stalin signed the Non-aggression Pact with Hitler (August 1939). Suddenly Hitler and soon Mussolini were allied with Stalin who they idealized. This of course changed when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union. The PCI did not initiate resistance operations of any significance. The PCI played an important role in the Italian Resistance in World War II, mostly after the Allied invasion made resistance more feasible (September 1943). Partisan units aided the Allies in the drive north and were particularly active in the north in the final months of the War, taking heavy casualties. It was a Partisan unit that stopped a German convoy carrying Mussolini and some of his ministers and associates out of Italy. He was then shot on the orders of the Communist-controlled National Liberation Committee (April 1945). The PCI as in other countries in Western Europe had gained considerable stature by their role in the Resistance. This meant that the Party might gain power in democratic elections. After the war it at first joined in coalition governments and was successful in the 1946 election, Italy's first democratic election since the Fascist take over. Their best chance to take control of Italy would be the 1948 election.

Socialist Movementy

The Partito Comunista Italiano (PCI) emerged out of the Italian Socialist movement in the aftermath of World War I. Ironically so did Mussolini's Fascist movement. The PCI was founded in Livorno by radical left wing members of the the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) influenced by the Bolhevik Revolution in Russia (1921). Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci were the leading individuals organizing the division.

Inter-War Era (1920s-30s)

The growing influence of the Socialists and Communists after World War I was a factor in the rise of Fascism. The PCI had different factions. Moscow supported the Or-dine nuovo group led by A. Gramsci based in the northern industrial city of Turin. Soviet support was vital. Throughout Europe, Soviet supported factions would come to dominate Communist Party orgnizations. This proved the case in Italy. The dominant group was at first led by A. Bordiga. The PCI refused to cooperate with the larger Socialist Party in resisting the rise of Fascism. Moscow helped Gramsci and his associates to take control of the PCI (1923-24). The Fascists moved against the Socialists and especially the Communists, supressing both unions and peasant organizations which had been the core of the Party's strength. Benito Mussolini's Fascist Government outlawed the Communists along with other political parties, although the PCI was already in tatters (1926). The PCI went underground. Palmiro Togliatti became the OCI leader (1927). He had to live in exile, eventually moving to the Soviet Union wherevhe spent the warvyears. Under Togliatti leadership, the PCI organized, but did not actively opose the Fascists who were not as ruthless in suppressing the Communists as Hitler's NAZI Party. Mussolini in fact began his political career as a Socialist. While the Fascists supressed Communist activities, unlike in NAZI Germany, they were less effective in changing the political orientation of urban and rural workers who contunued to harbor Counnunist and Socialist loyalties. And the PCI developed a tight underground oganization.

World War II (1939-45)

The PCI fauithful were shocked and confused along with Communist parties around the world when Stalin signed the Non-aggression Pact with Hitler and became a NAZI ally (August 1939). Suddenly Hitler and soon Mussolini were allied with Stalin who they idealized. Mussolini did not immediately enter the War, but once it was clear that France was defeated and Britainndriven from th Comtinent, he dcalred war on Britain and Frrance entering World War II (June 1940). Of course the situation changed changed when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union (June 1941). For the first 3 years of the war, the PCI did not initiate Resistenza (Resistance) operations of any significance even after the invasion of the Soviet Union. After the fall of Siily, the Fascist Grand Council removed Mussolini from power and arrested him (July 25, 1943). The Facist Party began to lose control. The Communist Party was able to operate more or less openly and began forming partisan bands. The PCI through cells could have an effective underground organizationm but a military resistance effirt mean that much larger numbers had to be recruited. King Victor Emmanuel III and his Prime Minister, the Marshal Pietro Badoglio, organized a governmebt of national unity as the Allies fought their way up the Italian Peninsula. It what became known as the Svolta di Salerno (Salerno's turn), PCI leader Togliatti agreed to cooperate (April 1944). Shortly after, the Allies liberated Rome (June 1944). As a result, the PCI would take part in every Italian Government during the national liberation and constitutional period (June 1944 - May 1947). The Communists' contribution to Italy's returnto democracy was imprtant. A major Gpvernmrnt initiative was the Gullo decrees (1944). they were an effort to improve social and economic conditions in rural areas. [Ginsborg] During the Badoglio and Parri's governments Palmiro Togliatti served as Deputy Prime Minister, an indication of the PCI's imprtance. The PCI did begin to play an important role in the Italian Resistance, after the Allied invasion made resistance more feasible (September 1943). Partisan units aided the Allies in the drive north. Not all of the partisas were Communists, but ehey were the most numerous, tightly organizd, and effective. The Garibaldi Brigades, promoted by the PCI, were among the more numerous partisan forces. [Bianchi, p. 368.] The Communist role in the Resistance earned them enormous prestige among Italiams, compared to the inefetual role of other parties and the Italian Army. The partians were particularly active in the north during the final months of the War. Italian industry was mostly in the north and it was a center of Communist support because of the political mpintation of Italian industrial workers. Communist Partisan bands took heavy casualties. It was a Partisan unit that stopped a German convoy carrying Mussolini and some of his ministers near the village of Dongo (Lake Como). The retreating Germans were headed north to Austria. Musolini and his enterouge were headed for Switzerland to board a plane so they could escape to Spain. We do not know if the Swiss would have allowed this or Frrancomwould have accepted them. The partisans did not attack the German column. The Germans for their part did not engage the Parisans. The German columnnwas only stopped to preventbItalian Fascists from escaping. And as long as the Partisans did not attempt to seize Germans there a no exchange of gunfire. The Partians were allowed to seize the Italins in the column. They did not immediately rrealize that hey had Musoline. But once they knew who they had, they shot both Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci,on the orders of the Communist-controlled National Liberation Committee (April 1945). Hitler in his bunker learned what happened shortlybeforehe committed suiside.

Post-War Era (1945-60)

The rapid development of the Italian economy after World War II was a major success story--the Italian Economic Miracle. Italy like other European countries, except Britain and the Communist East, experienced economic miracles. Economic prosperity probably saved Italy from turning to the Communists and following Eastern Europe into the Soviet Empire. Even after NATO was formed and America made a military commitment to Western Europe, Stalin was still hopeful of cracking the Western alliance. He pinned his hopes on the Cmmunist parties in the West, especially the large French and Italian Communist parties. The Communists had gained considerable prestige during the last 2-years of World War II. They were the only effective Italian resistance to the Germans and Fascists as the Allies drove up the Peninsula. They proved to be the backbone of the the Partisan movement. The Communists had a real opportunity to seize power in an open democratic election. Something that had never happaned. The first important post-War election resulted in the Communists (ICP) polling nearly 20 percent of the vote (1946). Even though the Italian left (Communists and Socialists) polled about 40 percent of the vote, the Democrazia Cristiana (Christian Democrats - DCP) who polled only 35 percent of the vote formed the government. The Communists were given the Justice Ministry. The Communists exploited public disatisfaction with economic conditions and the May Crisis durng 1947 with strikes and disorders designed to bring down the Government, but failed. The Italiamn left decided to form a United Front (FDP) for the next election. This would be a crucial election because it was before the Economic Miracle had kicked in. And it would be vital to Italy's economic future. Italian industrialists and even small businessmen were not going to make investments in a country run by a Socialist-Communist Government. Democrazia Cristiana (Christian Democrats-DCP) led by Alcide De Gasperi won a resounding victory with 48 percent of the vote, an astonishing victory in multi-party parlimentary system (1948). This would prove to be their best result ever, never repeated. The FDP only received only slightly over 30 percent of the votes, less than the combined Socialist-Communist vote in 1946. The ICP subtanially outpolled the more moderate Socialists within the FDP. The 1948 election would set the mold for subsequent Italian elections. For nearly four decades, Italian elections would be won by the DCP. Italian industrial workers were the backbone of the ICP believing that Communism would lead to higher wages and prosperity. In fact, Communism where adopted was so inefficent, that workers were paid very low wages. This became apparent early on. The Eastern European revolts against the Communists which began in 1953, primarily centered on worker disatisfaction with low wages and poor working conditions. The PCI was led by Palmiro Togliatti who like many other European Communists spent most of the inter-War era in the Soviet Union. There they were carefully vetted by the NKVD to be sure that they werecommitted Staminists. Many who failed the test disappeared into the Gulag. Togliatti survived. He led the ICP in post-War Italy to become the second largest political party in Italy, and the largest non-ruling communist party in Europe. The success of the Italian Economic Miracle ultimately prevented the PCI from winning national elections during Togliatti's life. The ICP did win many municipal elections and governed quite a number of cities and and regions, most Naples and the industrial north. Not only economic conditions were at play, bur even Eiropean Communists and other leftists werebecoming increasingly aware of the true nature of Soviet Communism. This became all too apparent with the the Soviet's brutal suppression of the Hungarian Revolution (1956). No amount of propaganda could cover it up. And it split Italian Communists. The party leadership was dpminated by Stalinists like Togliatti and Giorgio Napolitano (who would decades kater become President of the Italian Republic). They dutifully supported the Moscow view that the Hungarian insurgents were dangerous counter-revolutionaries. This is what l'Unità, the official PCI newspaper, reported. Other important PCI members rejected this view. Giuseppe Di Vittorio, leader of the Communist trade union Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), challenged Togliatti and other PCI Stalinists. Notably the CGIL was the heart of the PCI support. Other challengers to the PCI Stalinists was Antonio Giolitti and Italian Socialist Party national secretary Pietro Nenni-- an imprtant PCI ally. All of this was complicated by Soviet Premier Mikita Khruuschev's Destalinization effort initiated at the 20th Party Congress. Aprocess that helped set the Hungarian Revolution in motion and weakened the grip of the Stalinjists that Moscow had imposed on Western European Communist parties. Before the War, the NKVD effectively controlled the news flow from the Soviet Union such as Stalin's Ukranian genocide. This proved much more difficult in Eastern Europe.

Late 20th Century

The PCI unlike other Western European Communist partis remained popular even after the post-War economic miracles transformed Europe and after the dark derails of ommnism became well known, details about the Soviet Gulag and police state brutality. Less well known were the economic failure of Communism. Even in the 1970s about a third of the Italian electorate routinely voted Communist. The PCI was the largest Communist party in Western Europr with support reaching 2.3 million members (1947 and eak vote share of 34 percent (1976). Gradually the PCI made a transition from doctrinaire Communism to democratic socialism. [Urban, p. 27.] The PCI evolved into the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), which joined the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists. The more radical Oarrty members, unable to adjust,.quit the Party to create the new Communist Refoundation Party (PRC).

Sources

Bianchi, G. La Resistenza, Storia d'Italia Vol. 8.

Ginsborg, Paul. A History of Contemporary Italy: Society and Politics, 1943-1988 (Google Books).

Urban, Joan Barth. (1986) Moscow and the Italian Communist Party: From Togliatti to Berlinguer (I.B.Tauris: 1986).







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Created: 7:51 PM 2/26/2013
Last updated: 3:26 PM 1/23/2020