The Historical Orbit, Causes And Enlightenments Of The Italian Communist Party's Evolution And Decline After World War II

The Italian Communist Party(PCI)once was the largest one among the parties of western developed countries.PCI which was also the second largest party in Italy had great influence on politics both at home and abroad.To show the characteristics of a Communist Party,PCI stuck to Marxism and worked as a firm rebelling party at the beginning of its foundation.Owing to national and international changes,and also to expand its influence,coming into power became the goal chased by the leaders one generation after another.Thus,PCI revised Party Constitution,strategies and routes for numerous times.However,it was unsuccessful in the end.At the turn of 1980s and 1990s,PCI eventually renamed itself Democratic Party of Left(PDS)at the 20th congress in 1991 after intense argument for 14 months, accomplishing the transition from Marxist-Leninist to Social Democratic Party.PCI is not what it used to be after the evolution.Its members reduced greatly from the climax of over two million to more than one hundred thousand.Those who were against changing name and characteristic broke away from the party and founded the Refounded Communist Party(RC).RC whose influence can't match the former PCI is actually not a traditional communist party.The causes for PCI's transition from prosperity to a mundane party which gives up communist beliefs and its name are complicated.The main reason is that PCI gradually weakens Marxist-Leninist ideology during its long-term practice in coming into power. This thesis mainly consists of three sections.Section One chiefly delineates the historical orbit from sticking to Marxist route at the beginning to breaking away from Marxism,to pursuing democratic socialism and to RC's hard exploration for keeping communist party's characteristics.This part elaborates the four stages of PCI's evolution,namely sticking and innovation stage,reformism and cooperation stage,changing banner and nature stage,opening and reform stage.Section Two analyzes the causes for PCI's evolution,including international, national and inner causes.At abroad,PCI's evolution has much to do with the big tide of international communist movement.Soviet Union's sudden evolution is the catalyst for PCI.USA's countercurrent against CP leads PCI suffering from the squeeze of both the cold war and the Christian Democratic Party(DC).At home,Italy's political Characteristics and the formation of postwar Party Politics force PCI to adjust policies and strategies according to the situation.PCT was in a dilemma because of other parties' squeeze,the change of class structure and the invisible control of Christian culture to the masses who believe god.As for the party itself,PCI leaders adjust policies and change stance constantly and even revise Party Constitution to achieve the goal of holding power, which makes it lost in direction.That PCI gradually weakens Marxist-Leninist ideology also leads to its sliding to the declining abyss.Section Three focuses on the enlightenments from PCI's evolution and decline.