First They Took Rome. David Broder

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      First published by Verso 2020

      © David Broder 2020

      All rights reserved

      The moral rights of the author have been asserted

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       Verso

      UK: 6 Meard Street, London W1F 0EG

      US: 20 Jay Street, Suite 1010, Brooklyn, NY 11201

       versobooks.com

      Verso is the imprint of New Left Books

      ISBN-13: 978-1-78663-761-1

      ISBN-13: 978-1-78663-763-5 (UK EBK)

      ISBN-13: 978-1-78663-764-2 (US EBK)

       British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

       Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

      Typeset in Adobe Garamond Pro by Hewer Text UK Ltd, Edinburgh

      Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon CR0 4YY

      Contents

Acronyms

Introduction

1. The Pole of Good Government

2. ‘Say Something Left-wing!’

       3. A Country for Old Men

       4. Send in the Clowns

       5. Salvini’s Triumph

       Conclusion

       Acknowledgements

       Notes

       Index

Party Acronyms

      AN – Alleanza Nazionale (National Alliance; postfascist, 1994–2009)

      CDU – Christlich Demokratische Union (Christian Democratic Union; centre-right, 1945–present)

      CSU – Christlich-Soziale Union (Christian Social Union; centre-right, 1945–present)

      DC – Democrazia Cristiana (Christian Democracy; big tent, 1942–94)

      DP – Democrazia Proletaria (Proletarian Democracy; far-left, 1975–91)

      DS – Democratici di Sinistra (Democrats of the Left; centre-left, 1998–2007)

      FdI – Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy; postfascist, 2014–present)

      FI – Forza Italia (centre-right/Berlusconian, 1994–2009, 2013–present)

      IdV – Italia dei Valori (Italy of Values; centre-left, anti-corruption, 1998–present)

      LeU – Liberi e Uguali (Free and Equal; centre-left, 2017–present)

      M5S– Movimento Cinque Stelle (Five Star Movement; big tent, anti-corruption, 2009–present)

      MSI – Movimento Sociale Italiano (Italian Social Movement; neofascist, 1946–95)

      NAR – Nuclei Armati Rivoluzionari (neofascist, 1977–81)

      NCD – Nuovo Centrodestra (centre-right, 2013–17)

      PaP – Potere al Popolo (Power to the People)

      PCI – Partito Comunista Italiano (Italian Communist Party, 1921–91)

      PD – Partito Democratico (Democratic Party)

      PdCI – Partito dei Comunisti Italiani (Party of Italian Communists; communist, 1998––present)

      PdL – Popolo della Libertà (People of Freedom, centre-right/Berlusconian, 2009–13)

      PDS – Partito Democratico della Sinistra (Democratic Party of the Left; centre-left, 1991–98)

      PRC – Partito della Rifondazione Comunista (Communist Refoundation Party; communist, 1991–present)

      PSDI – Partito Socialista Democratico Italiano (Italian Democratic Socialist Party; centre-left, 1947–98)

      PSI – Partito Socialista Italiano (Italian Socialist Party; centre-left, 1892–1994)

      RC – Rivoluzione Civile (Civic Revolution, far-left, anti-corruption, 2013)

      SEL – Sinistra Ecologia Libertà (Left Ecology Freedom; centre-left, 2009–16)

      SPD – Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (Social Democratic Party; centre-left, 1875–present)

      UU – Uniti nell’Ulivo (United in the Olive Tree; centre-left, 2004–07)

Introduction

      As an English resident of Rome, I never cease to hear middle-class Italians singing the praises of a ‘normal country’ – Britain. Seen from Italy, ours is a land of efficient bus services, friendly locals offering up trays of tea and cakes, and earnest professionalism in public life. When one recent Italian president came under criticism in a wiretapping scandal, the country’s leading newspaper lamented the absence of the ‘businesslike respect’ that supposedly characterises exchanges in the House of Commons.

      This isn’t the only curious model. As Italy prepared to join the eurozone, one leading editor at La Repubblica issued a book entitled Germanizzazione, characterising the single currency as a German takeover – but saying this was a good thing. Mario Monti, who became prime minister in 2011, concurred that if Italy was to become a ‘normal country’ it would require some ‘external bind’ – what he called ‘denying our own selves a little’. What seemed least of all ‘normal’ in such comments СКАЧАТЬ