The topics analysed in the course will be:
1) the political system after the Italian unification; the birth of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI); the crisis at the end of the19th century
2) new political organizations in the Giolitti years, the catholic movement, the nationalist movement
3) post-war and the proportional representation electoral system; the birth of the fascist movement, fascist action squads and their transformation in National Fascist Party (PNF); PSI and the birth of the Italian Communist Party (PCI); the other parties in the wake of the advent of fascism
4) the fascist regime and characteristics of the PNF in the 20’s and 30’s; antifascist parties and movements; the fall of fascism and the Italian Resistance movement; the reconstruction of political parties
5) the post-World War II years from the antifascist alliance to the cold war; the Christian Democracy (DC) and its power system; communist and socialist opposition
6) the 60’s and the centre left, PSI at the government; youth movements and the contestation years
7) the70’s, Enrico Berlinguer secretary of the PCI, the DC and Aldo Moro
8) evolution of the political system during the 80’s and the crisis of political parties; the judiciary investigations (1992).