Who Would You Vote For?: Italian Edition

[Antonio the Sixth]

Post-1945 :

1946 : Pd'A
1948 : US
1953 : PSDI
1958 : PSI
1963 : PSI
1968 : PSU
1972 : PSI
1976 : PSI
1979 : PR
1983 : PR
1987 : PR
1992 : PDS
1994 : PDS
1996 : PDS
2001 : DS
2006 : IdV
2008 : Idv

(I'm not sure of every pick, but that seems the most likely)

[Antonio the Sixth]

Italy had one of the most intelligent communist parties in Europe. Just compare it with the French PCF, which has been ruled by stalinist nutjobs until the 1990s. Actually, I could see myself voting for PCI a couple of times, after 1968.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Italy had one of the most intelligent communist parties in Europe. Just compare it with the French PCF, which has been ruled by stalinist nutjobs until the 1990s. Actually, I could see myself voting for PCI a couple of times, after 1968.

Well they evolved. Pre-1968 they were Stalinist nutjobs. Post 1968 they were simply communist in ideology, and that's what almost led to the Historic Compromise.

They're indeed the only ones who managed to evolve and move forward despite the important sociological changes that weakened communist parties in other european countries. The best result the PCI got was in... 1976 ! At a time when the PCF's agony had already begun...
I think the Historic Compromise could have given very good governments to the country, with a strong left-wing force accepting parliamentary democracy and refusing to take power by force. Aldo Moro's assassination, apart from being a disgusting and unforgivable crime, did much harm to the whole italian left.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Welcome to the forum, Manfr !

[Antonio the Sixth]

thank you ! when I have a little more time, it'd be interesting to post a simulation of the US with italian parties

It would be great, I'd like to see that. However, I think you should use First Republic parties instead of modern ones, they were a lot more interesting IMO.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I hope you know European libertarians have almost nothing in common with American libertarians.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Italian radicals are the embodiment of a current of thought inspired from XIXth century liberalism. They mostly seek to emancipate the Italian society from the Church and aim to establish a secular democracy. Their main focus is on social issues, supporting gay mariage/civil unions, and so forth (they played also an important role in the legalization of divorce in the 1970s). They lean left on economic issues (actually, they were associated with a small social-democratic party until recently) and most of them have now joined the PD.

American libertarians are mostly anarcho-capitalists who seek to eliminate every form of State intervention on economy. Their main struggles are on the economic domain (enormous spending/tax cuts, ending federal programs, etc...). Their rhetoric is usually populist (the "little guys" vs the "evil big government"). While they are theoretically on the left for social issues, those issues always end up getting skipped because fighting "big guv'ment" is the most important thing. Most of them would easily vote for religious nutjob who is fiscally conservative over a social progressive who is also a "tax n spend librul".

[Antonio the Sixth]

Italian radicals are the embodiment of a current of thought inspired from XIXth century liberalism. They mostly seek to emancipate the Italian society from the Church and aim to establish a secular democracy. Their main focus is on social issues, supporting gay mariage/civil unions, and so forth (they played also an important role in the legalization of divorce in the 1970s). They lean left on economic issues (actually, they were associated with a small social-democratic party until recently) and most of them have now joined the PD.

American libertarians are mostly anarcho-capitalists who seek to eliminate every form of State intervention on economy. Their main struggles are on the economic domain (enormous spending/tax cuts, ending federal programs, etc...). Their rhetoric is usually populist (the "little guys" vs the "evil big government"). While they are theoretically on the left for social issues, those issues always end up getting skipped because fighting "big guv'ment" is the most important thing. Most of them would easily vote for religious nutjob who is fiscally conservative over a social progressive who is also a "tax n spend librul".

Oh yes, I know, I am a member of that small socialdemocratic party

I can however assure you that italian radicals, in the last part of the '80s have moved from their social-liberal heritage to a very libertarian, a la american sense, path. Consider their former members Daniele Capezzone and Benedetto della Vedova, for instance, or one of their current leaders, Marco Cappato ... they were among the first and foremost supporters of Pinera-like pension reform !

Well, I guess you are right and you seem to know the subject better than me. It's true that when I say radical, I tend to think more to Pannella/Bonino etc...

[Antonio the Sixth]

I'll try a new version (there's probably no change, but it's still fun doing).

1946 : Pd'Az
1948 : US
1953 : USI
1958 : PSI
1963 : PSI
1968 : PSU
1972 : PSI
1976 : PR
1979 : PR
1983 : PR
1987 : PR
1992 : Pannella
1994 : PDS / Progressisti
1996 : PDS / L'Ulivo
2001 : Di Pietro / L'Ulivo
2006 : RnP
2008 : IdV
Next : SEL

In 1994 and 1996, I could have voted for the Pannella list too (in the PR vote), and in 2006 I might have voted for IdV. Without insight I would also probably have backed Craxi's PSI in the 1980s.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Don't understand the back-and-forth between DC and PCI in in the 1940s and 1950s...

[Antonio the Sixth]

I see. Still, I've difficulties to imagine someone being able to vote for both DC or PCI, as they were eternal enemies... I'd understand if you hesitated between DC and PRI, or even PSI.