Anarchism in Italy and the First World War

[Marion]

Was reading some stuff about Italian politics, and came across the following with regards to Bordiga just before the 1st World War:

he became more and more of an "internationalist", while Mussolini slid, like most followers of anarcho-syndicalism, towards nationalism
I know the anarchist movement was fairly split over involvement in World War One, but does anyone have any further details about anarcho-syndicalists (or other anarchists) and their relative positions at this time in Italy?

[rouchambeau]

I would recommend "When Insurrections Die", by Gilles Dauve. There isn't that much about Italy in it, but I think it details the rise of fascism and fall of the workers' movement post-WWI very well.

You can find it on www.prole.info

[Marion]

Originally posted by [email protected] 16 2006, 09:08 PM
I would recommend "When Insurrections Die", by Gilles Dauve. There isn't that much about Italy in it, but I think it details the rise of fascism and fall of the workers' movement post-WWI very well.

You can find it on www.prole.info
Cheers - will check it out!

[comrade_amber]

I read somewhere that Sacco & Vanzetti's ash remains are on display in a museum outside of Boston.

[rebelworker]

Im not sure what the link between Mousilini and anarchism is about, he as a socialist befoe a fascist.

As far as I know the left in Europe most bent towards nationalism was in germany, where the marxists voted for war credits.

Alothough one major anarchist of the day supported the war against the german burocracy(or something of the sort, and which one exactly escapes me, may have been Kropotkin)most of the international anarchist movement was quite in oposition to this, including Errico Malatesta, possibly Europes most popular anarchist leader. He denounced the war and held great sway in Italian politics(he was once refered to as "Italy's Lenin" by a gatehring of Italina trade unionists, and his pamphelet "anarchism" sold over 100,000 copies in Italy at the time, imagining what the literacy rates must have been like show how increadible a feat this was).

So although I admit I dont have a great grasp of Italian politics pre WWI, it is fair to say that although much of the left internationally was swept with nationalism, Italian anarchism would have had a large degree of oposition to the war.