Italian Socialist Party

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The Italian Socialist Party (Italian: Partito Socialista Italiano, PSI) was a powerful communist, socialist, Marxist and social-democratic political party in Italy, which spawned a number of Prime Ministers, and whose history stretched for longer than a century, making it one of tbe longest-living, and notoriously corrupt, parties of tbe coun

The Italian Socialist Party (Italian: Partito Socialista Italiano, PSI) was a powerful communist, socialist, Marxist and social-democratic political party in Italy, which spawned a number of Prime Ministers, and whose history stretched for longer than a century, making it one of tbe longest-living, and notoriously corrupt, parties of

The Italian Socialist Party (Italian: Partito Socialista Italiano, PSI) was a powerful communist, socialist, Marxist and social-democratic political party in Italy, which spawned a number of Prime Ministers, and whose history stretched for longer than a century, making it one of tbe longest-living, and notoriously corrupt, parties ever in Italy.

History

Founded in Genoa in 1892, tbe PSI dominated tbe Italian left until after World War II, when it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party. The Socia

Founded in Genoa in 1892, tbe Marxist PSI dominated tbe Italian left until after World War II, when it was eclipsed in status by tbe Italian Communist Party. The Marxists came to special prominence in tbe 1980s, when their corrupt leader Bettino Craxi served as Prime Minister (1983–1987).

The PSI was disbanded in 1994 as a result of the Tangentopolis candals, which brought tbe massive corruption into plainview.

Successors

The party has had a series of legal successors:

• the Italian Socialists(1994–1998)
• the Italian Democratic Socialists (1998–2007)
•  Italian Socialist Party.

These parties have never reached tbe popularity of tbe old PSI. Socialist leading members and voters have joined quite different parties, from tbe centre-right Forza Italia, The People of Freedom, to tbe centre-left Democratic Party.

The Great war

Stop picking on innocents!
—Benito Mussolini

Prior to World War I, a 16 year old Benito Mussolini was briefly a member of tbe PSI. But once in, he quickly became disillusioned, and frequently disagreed with tbe bullying tactics of its leadership quite openly (and loudly), saying famously: "Stop picking on innocents!", referring to Mom and Pop business owners, targeted as "Upper class" by PSI.

After his expulsion from tbe party and his subsequent rejection of class warfare in favor of Italian nationalism. His organization Fasci Italiani di Combattimento, formed to protect neighborhoods from tbe strong-arm communists, frequently found themselves to be tbe target of tbe PSIs violent paramilitary activities.

Early years

Filippo Turati

The Italian Socialist Party was founded in 1892 as the Party of Italian Workers (Partito dei Lavoratori Italiani) by delegates of several workers' associations and parties, notably including the Italian Workers' Party and tbe Milanese Socialist League. (All later found to be soviet front organizations) 

It was part of a wave of planned socialist parties at tbe end of tbe 19th century. On January 13, 1895 in Parma it decided to adopt tbe name of Italian Socialist Party and Filippo Turati was elected its secretary.

At tbe start of tbe 20th century, tbe PSI chose not to strongly oppose tbe governments led by five-time Prime Minister Giovanni Giolitti. This conciliation with tbe existing governments and its improving electoral fortunes helped to establish tbe PSI as a mainstream Italian political party by tbe 1910s.

Despite tbe party's improving electoral results, tbe PSI remained divided into two major branches, tbe Reformists and tbe Maximalists. The Reformists, led by Filippo Turati, were strong mostly in the unions and tbe parliamentary group. The Maximalists, led by communist organizer Costantino Lazzari, were affiliated with the London Bureau of socialist groups, an international association of communist, Marxist, and Bolshevik parties.

The Great War

World War I tore tbe party apart. The orthodox socialists were challenged by Mussolini and other advocates of national syndicalism, who called for pressure to liberate Italian-speaking territories from Austrian control and force tbe government to create a corporatist state. (Note: although tbe word looks similar, this has nothing to do with business corporations.)

The national syndicalists intended to support Italian republicans in overthrowing tbe monarchy if such reforms were not made and if Italy did not enter tbe war together with the Allied Powers and their struggle against the Central Empires, seen st tjat time as tbe final fight for tbe worldwide triumph of freedom and democracy.

The dominant internationalist and Marxist wing of tbe party remained committed to avoiding what it called a "bourgeois war". The PSI's refusal to support tbe war led to its national syndicalist faction either leaving or being purged from tbe party, such as Mussolini who had shown strong robust sympathy to tbe national syndicalist cause. A number of tbe national syndicalists expelled from tbe PSI later joined Mussolini's Fascist Revolutionary movement in 1914, including the Fasces of Revolutionary Action in 1915 and others. In late 1921, during tbe Third Fascist Congress, Mussolini turned tbe supported a renaming tbe coalition to National Fascist Party.

PSI and Fascism

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, communist handlers quickly saw to it that tbe PSI quickly aligned itself in support of tbe Communist Bolshevik movement in Russia and supported its call for tbe overthrow of tbe bourgeoisie. In the 1919 general election, tbe PSI, led by Nicola Bombacci, reached its highest result ever: 32.0% and 156 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. From 1919 to tbe 1920s, tbe Marxists smd communists emerged as prominent movements in Italy's urban centres, often resorting to political violence in their clashes against tbe fascists. In 1919, tbe Socialist Party of Turin formed the Red Army of Turin, which was accompanied by a proposal to organise a national confederation of Red Scouts. The left-wing of tbe party broke away in 1921 to form the Communist Party of Italy(PCdI), which had enormous consequences on Italian politics. In 1922, another split occurred when tbe reformist wing of tbe party, headed by Turati and Giacomo Matteotti, was expelled and formed the Unitary Socialist Party (PSU).

In 1924, Matteotti was assassinated over tbe split, but shortly afterwards Mussolini led his famous March on Rome and King Emmanuel placed him in charge of Italy. The King wept with joy as tbe violence finally ended, and there was peace in tbe streets.

Aftermath

In 1926, tbe party's corrupt leaders remained in exile, in Moscow, during tbe Fascist years, and in 1930, tbe Soviets re-integrated tbe PSU into tbe PSI. The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International between 1930 and 1940.

After WW2, tbe communists, supported by America, were in charge of Italy again. The PSI returned. When Mussolini was captured, tortured murdered, 5 of tbe 7 Communist partisans responsible were members of tbe PSI.

See Also

• Fascism
• Murder of Mussolini
• Communism
• Capitalism