Study On The Italian Communist Party’s Decline And Renascence

The Italian Communist Party(PCI) once was the largest one among the Parties of the capitalist countries. PCI has an important historical position in the international communist movement. PCI which was also the second largest party in Italy had made everlasting contributions to the historical victory of the world anti-fascist struggle, and had high prestige in the Italy people. In the seven decades of development, PCI maintain a glorious revolutionary tradition of the party of the proletariat, and has always been famed for Independent and innovative. In theory, PCI proposed many famous theories, such as Salerno Turning, Democratic Alternative and Communism in Europe. In practice, PCI Called upon the people against the Fascist oppressors, have been active in parliamentary elections, launched mass social movements, and carried out its own political and economic programme.Since1980’s, with major changes took place in and outside Italy, PCI facing a grim situation. On one hand, the votes decreased year by year, the number of party members continue to reduce, on the other hand, the party splited into factions, has seriously affected the unity of the party. PCI has elect a new secretary named Achille Occhetto, he began to change the name and nature of the party. Finally, with the drastic change in Eastern Europe in1989, PCI split into Democrats of the Left (DS) and The Communist Refoundation Party (PRC). The decline of PCI is result from the composite force of several factors. The new changes in the class structure, weakening the class basis of the PCI. mistakes on the guiding ideology and strategic policy is the fundamental reasons in the decline of PCI. The development of the welfare state-building and political democracy, affected the spread of socialist ideas. Pattern of religious and political parties in Italy, restricted the development of PCI. International monopoly capital offense, compressed space of the PCI. Gorbachev’s new thinking and East Europe Great Change was an important reason in the decline of PCI.PCI has decline, but the communism movement in Italy has not died out. The Communist Refoundation Party(PRC) Still adhere to the name of the Communist Party, and the guidance of Marxism-Leninism. Twenty years, PRC already have shown very bright prospects. PRC insist on carrying out the struggle of the masses, and constantly adjust the policy line. Currently, PRC has become an influential left-wing Communist forces in Italian and Western Europe.