Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Enrico Berlinguer was secretary of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) from 1972 to his sudden death in 1984. He strongly influenced his party by proposing “historical compromise” and “Eurocommunism,” but failed to succeed politically in both goals. Berlinguer was born in Sassari on the island of Sardinia on May 25, 1922, to a liberal democratic, anti-fascist family that was actively involved in politics. Young Enrico enrolled in the PCI in 1943, and three years later joined the Central Committee in Sassari. From 1949 to 1956 Berlinguer headed the Young Communist Federation. He was elected deputy in 1968 and vice-secretary of the PCI at the 12th Congress, when serving PCI secretary Luigi Longo's health was in decline. In 1972 Berlinguer became secretary of the Italian Communist Party. His career as a party official did not hinder him from acquiring strong charismatic appeal. As the head of a party now at the top of its electoral and popular support, Berlinguer was perceived as a potential agent of transformation of the Italian political system. In the aftermath of the Chilean coup of September 11, 1973 , Berlinguer wrote three articles in the party weekly Rinascita , pointing out that any Popular Front-like alliance in Italy would cause the rise of right-wing reaction similar to that in Chile. He argued that the only way to bring about political change was through “historical ... log in or subscribe to read full text