The New Left in Italy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10075326 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Valdo Spini (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1972 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 51-71 |
| Publication date | 1972-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Contemporary History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-0094 • E-ISSN: 1461-7250 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/002200947200700103 |
| OpenAlex | W2069007741 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
When one speaks of the New Left in Italy, particular emphasis should be placed on the adjective 'new'. For this adjective not only indicates the rising wave of radical opposition which is developing in a new fashion, whether in its theoretical elaboration, in political practice, or in the social background of its participants, even though all these characteristics are definitely present in the Italian New Left. The adjective also indicates the presence of a strong 'Old Left' of obvious Marxist and working-class derivation, with which the New Left must come to terms on two levels. The first level derives from the capacity for self-preservation which great political associations-such as the Italian left-wing parties-must perforce have. The traditional left wing in Italy-as also in France, even though in a very different context-exerts its influence through political and trade union organizations which are very strong and still deeply rooted in the social fabric. Futhermore, until some years ago-as in the case of the socialists-these organizations not only placed themselves, and still do-as in the case of the communists-in opposition, but were permanently cornered in it under the pressure excercised on Italian affairs by the Atlantic Pact. Whereas in England the alternation of Conservative and Labour is considered a normal factor in the functioning of the democratic system, the same cannot be said of a hypothetical communist rise to power in Italy. This does not mean that the Communist Party is unable to exert pressure on the present political and parliamentary system, or that it does not participate in a relevant way in the formation of national political equilibrium. Still, the traditional position of the communists (PCI) places the New Left in a competitive situation and makes it sometimes run the danger of being a tool of the PCI
Political science · History · Italian Fascism and Post-war Society
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,1 |
| Citation span | 1985 - 2020 (36) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |