Volume 23 // The Italian Society from the Resistance Movement to the Cold War

This volume focuses on the analysis of the events and problems of the Italian society that represent a collective memory heritage. The connection between the Resistance and the antifascism is being highlighted with its tormented and complex interrelations, during the historical events as well as during the transition periods for the Italian society and for the national culture. The central part of the Resistance movement is, undoubtedly, a moment of the “intense collective life of the Italians” that created foundations for a decisive civil and political renewal of the country. The first stage of this process was the establishment of a democratic republic “founded on work”. A choral research of the authors present in this volume is a fruit of a cooperation of the best Italian scientists of the contemporary Italy. It examines new social blocks come to life immediately after the World War II, the central role played by the political parties, from the major and mass ones (Christian democracy, Communist Party, Socialist Party) to minor and opinion ones (actionists, liberals). It is a vast range analysis that is structured around such subjects as the elaboration of the Republican Constitution, the break of the antifascist identity and the exit of the Left wing from the De Gasperi’s government, the elections of 1948 and the part played by the Church of Pius XII in the Italian political life. A particular attention is paid to the revealing details of the economical context and of the social conflicts of the period: the postwar reconstruction and “the obscure fifties” were replaced by the beginning of an economical boom that would transform Italy from a predominantly agricultural country into a great industrial power of the world.

SUMMARY

The Resistance Movement from 1943 to 1945
Enzo Santarelli

Antifascist unity, Republic, Constitution
Aurelio Lepre

De Gasperi and the Christian democracy
Maurizio Pieretti

The Church of Pius XII, from a reconquest to a split
Filippo Mazzonis

“The Obscure Fifties”
Gianfranco Petrillo

Working class, a trade union split and fights for defence (1949-1954)
Adolfo Pepe

“A Plan of Work”
Adofo Pepe

Agriculture and rural classes during fascism and after the war
Giovanna Mottura

Industrial reconstruction
Bruno Bottiglieri, Giancarlo Subbrero

Antonio Gramsci’s Letters from Prison
Mario Spinella

Socialist Party from Morandi to the Central-Left wing
Francesca Taddei