The Italian Revolution

Since 1992 Italy has been rocked by a succession of scandals in which dozens of leading politicians have been accused of corruption, extortion, and links with the Mafia. The worst of the damage has been suffered by the two former leading parties - the Christian Democrats and the Socialists - who have subsequently been humiliated at the polls, leaving a vacuum that new political forces, such as the Northern League, have been quick to fill. With the Government now openly attacking the Mafia, and with the growing economic problems which the country is facing, many people consider Italy to be in a state of revolution. This book provides an account of the circumstances that led to this revolution, placing it in the context of post-war Italian politics and explaining why it came about after decades of complacency.