Italian Communism in Transition: The Rise and Fall of the Historic Compromise in Turin, 1975-1980

This is a study of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) during the most critical period of its recent history. In the mid-1970s, the PCI almost succeeded in entering the national government; by the end of that decade, it had been relegated to the opposition and went into a decline that continues today. This book provides a first-hand view of that turbulent period and explains the roots of the party's crisis. Hellman focuses on Turin, which has always been on the cutting edge of developments in Italy and in the Italian workers' movement. This is a study of local conditions that keeps the broader picture in focus by tracing local events in light of national developments. During this period, Turin, then governed by the Communists, was the site of great political activity and turbulence, from Red Brigade terrorism to the historic defeat of the unions at Fiat in 1980. The author provides an eye-witness analysis of the party's reaction to these challenges in light of its broader national strategy.