Politics in Italy/Marxism in the world today

[cheisgreat]

Does anyone know if Marxism/socialism/Communism are still prevelant in Italian politics? Also what other countries in the world have high minorities/majorities of left-wing representation (apart from cuba, china, n.korea, vietnam)?? It's just I'm doing an essay on Marxism in terms of international politics and I need some help.

Any help would be great, Thanks.

[The Living Red]

These threads are about were started a few weeks ago:

Italian Left calls for change (http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=72122)

One million protest in Rome (http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=72237)

They both start with articles about the influence of the Italian communist parties.

I know at least one of the CP's has a place in Prodi's 'left-wing' ruling coalition.

[Wanted Man]

As far as I understand it, the Communists take a reformist stance and are part of the Prodi government, which continues imperialist "peace missions". Still, if there was no majority for Prodi's coalition, you would instead end up with Berlusconi coming back, and who wants that? It's a difficult issue.

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Where (geographically) does most of the communist support come from in Italy?

I know that the CPs have a fair bit of influence in Tuscany; places like Florence etc...

What about the industrial triangle (Milan, Turin, Genoa) and the Mezzogiorno?

[The Living Red]

I have no idea about the places you mentioned, Kevis, but I do know that the town of Livorno is possibly the most left-leaning place in Italy. Even the football team's supporters carry hammer + sickle and Che Guevara flags to matches.

I did see a fair few Partido Comunista Rifondzione (Party of Communist Refoundation) election posters in Venice during the election season of 2005.

[luxemburg89]

Originally posted by [email protected] 18, 2007 10:56 am
Where (geographically) does most of the communist support come from in Italy?

I know that the CPs have a fair bit of influence in Tuscany; places like Florence etc...

What about the industrial triangle (Milan, Turin, Genoa) and the Mezzogiorno?
Yeah, there is a lot of influence in Tuscany. Traditionally Turin and Brescia in the far north have a lot of communist sympathies (in general); in fact Turin is the base of L'Unica the Communist newspaper. Obviously Lucca, Livorno and Florence have large communist groups, and I also understand around Puglia in the south there is a small influence - though it is probably minimal. The Communist party generally support Prodi, though his majority is held by their support - there have been many incidents when he has lost control of government because the Communist Refoundation Party (and numerous other small Communist parties) withdrew their support. At the moment, as I understand it, relations with Prodi are closer to stable than destable and his government is so far surviving. Though this is Italian politics and it could change at any minute.

There were 14 Revolutionary Communist Party posters in the very centre of Florence on the anniversary of its liberation (11th-12th August) this year; well that's how many I counted and I'm prone to missing things :blush: .

P.S. - I forgot to mention that the results for the major Communist parties in Italy, in General Elections, are generally very good - as in between 5th-3rd best in the country. Although it should be considered that the recent success comes off the back of their alliance with Prodi.

[Louis Pio]

What about the industrial triangle (Milan, Turin, Genoa) and the Mezzogiorno?

From my experience their is very big communist groups in those cities you mention, especially Milan to my knowlegde.
The idea of communism still has a good ecco in big parts of the italian working class, also despite the party's actual policy.

[Colonello Buendia]

I used to live in Rome and there I remember being "a festa de'l L'unita" every summer for all the communists. In the 70's and 80's the communist party (before the splits) easily got 30% of the votes but the other five main parties got together in a coalition tho keep the communists out of power. :angry: Anyways there is a larger number of communists in Italy.