Italy's New Left
SENIGALLIA, SILVIO F.
Recently founded Socialist Alliance spearheads drive for a united democratic workers' party ITALY'S NEW LEFT By Silvio F. Senigallia ROME TWO-HUNDRED Italian ex-Communists assembled here...
...The ex-Communists are convinced that they can talk to their comrades of yesterday more effectively than anv Socialist or Social Democrat...
...Its program is based on three fundamental points: 1. The Soviet Union is not the guiding light of socialism, and the Soviet Communist party is not the best of all workers' parties...
...It is certain, however, that through the Socialist Alliance Italy's former Communists will inform more and more people about the true nature of the Italian CP and its betrayal of the Italian working class...
...We do not renege on our fight against Fascism and the sacrifices we made for a cause we thought was just and noble...
...Recently founded Socialist Alliance spearheads drive for a united democratic workers' party ITALY'S NEW LEFT By Silvio F. Senigallia ROME TWO-HUNDRED Italian ex-Communists assembled here recently at the Brancaccio Theater...
...2. Socialism and liberty are inseparable, and democracy must be held up both as an end and a means...
...On the local level, the fight against Communism will be waged by the various groups which make up the Alliance, such as dissident Communists, labor groups, political clubs, REALE: 'FREE YOURSELVES NOW' cultural organizations and socialists...
...Reale and five members of his staff form the executive of the Socialist Alliance...
...They plan to work with those members of the two parties who favor unification and are not closely identified with the Communists on the Left or the Christian Democrats on the Right...
...On the national level, the group plans to wage its fight against Communism through Eugenio Reale's courageous and aggressive weekly, Corrispondenza Socialista...
...3. The Socialist Alliance will work toward the formation of a unified democratic Socialist party...
...They also believe that their most important function is to attract the large body of democraticallyminded Italians who still support the Communist party...
...Organized by former Communist Senator and ex-Italian Ambassador to Warsaw, Eugenio Reale, this first national conference of former Communists brought together delegates from some 50 local and provincial groups...
...As many delegates stressed, their sad experiences in the Communist party have made them wary of granting too much power to any central body...
...For the past 12 years, it has sponsored a policy which advances the interests of the Soviet Union but fails to cope with the problems facing Italian workers...
...We were with you in the fights, right and wrong, we waged after 1946...
...In most cases, any action to be taken will be determined locally, since the Alliance is only losely organized...
...As Reale expressed it, they can tell them, "We are not ashamed of our Communist past...
...The Alliance's leaders believe that their program is more socialistic than the platforms of the two socialist parties...
...Its leaders make it clear that they do not intend to take sides in the current struggle between Pietro Nenni's Socialists and Giuseppe Saragat's Social Democrats...
...We can now ask you to break the chains which still bind you to a party which betrayed our ideals, and to free yourselves from its conformism and conspiracy of silence...
...The Socialist Alliance is not—at least not yet—a political party, but it hopes to be the spearhead of a new united democratic workers' party in Italy...
...The lack of a strong democratic socialist party in Italy, the resolution concluded, has been a major weak spot...
...The power wielded by reactionary forces has not been checked by existing leftwing parties, it continued...
...Their objective will be to show that the Italian CP was responsible for the defeat of labor's forces during the past ten years, and that at present, with the Christian Democratic party holding a power monopoly, there is no real socialist alternative to the Italian bourgeoisie...
...A unanimously adopted final resolution observed that the postwar hopes of Italy's working class, whitecollar workers, peasants and intellectuals have not been fulfilled...
...The Communist party is greatly responsible for the present weakness of Italian democracy...
...After two days of discussion, they announced the formation of a new socialist movement in Italy, the Alleanza Socialista...
...The Socialist Alliance offers membership to all ex-Communists, socialists and trade-unionists...
...At the same time, the Socialist Alliance hopes to develop a new, unified socialist party...
...But the powers granted to this executive are limited...
Vol. 41 • December 1958 • No. 46
