Abstract

Communism alla Bolognese

The article focuses on the Italian Communist Party (PCI), a political party that controlled scores of city and regional councils, commanded the allegiance of millions of workers and represented the major parliamentary opposition to the ruling Christian Democrats. It is reported that now the party has changed its name and its program, its hold on local politics is loosening, the favor of many workers and voters has been lost and it constitutes a barely credible opposition. Last winter in a wrenching national convention, the PCI became the PDS, the Democratic Party of the Left. Meanwhile, the old PCI managers and party functionaries in their central Italian strongholds go about their political and economic businesses as if nothing very much has changed, except their spots.