From Gramsci to Renzi: The Italian Left and the transition towards Neoliberalism

Abstract

This thesis analyses the development of neoliberalism in the Italian left, looking, in particular, at the biggest left-wing parties in two different periods. The research takes into account the centre-left governments of the 1990s and their labour and educational policies, looking at the role of the Democrats of the Left in promoting or resisting neoliberal development. The same was done for the second period of reference, the Renzi government and the role of the Democratic Party. A comparison of the Berlinguer reform and the Pacchetto Treu with the Buona Scuola and the Job Act finds that both reforms were based on a neoliberal vision of the state, although evident differences are found in the ideological discourse implemented, as well as in the position of socio-economic groups. The reform implemented in the 1990s also needs to be contextualised within its socio-economic context and Europhoria, which contributed to a belief in a promising process of globalisation that social-democratic parties would have been able to direct towards a more equitable framework. The concertation method, which was adopted for the reforms implemented in the 1990s, signals an alliance between trade unions and employers’ associations, mediated by the government and, thus, can be said to be supported by the different social actors in a more or less consensual way. Renzi’s method, instead, was based on disintermediation and an undemocratic stance regarding the social parts (trade unions, in particular) with varying degrees of conflict. The socio-economic context in which the reforms were implemented was in the context of a crisis of authority of the neoliberal state and of the increasing constitutionalisation of austerity measures to implement it. This thesis argues that the experience of the Prodi government in the 1990s represents a transitional phase for the establishment of neoliberalism, whereas Renzi’s phase should be seen as a consolidatory step in the establishment of neo-liberalism, which moves from a consensus-based or hegemonic form of neoliberalism to a form of authoritarian and disciplinary neoliberalism (Gill, 1995) that builds on the new constitutional nature of neoliberalism in the 21st century.

Date of Award	1 Apr 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	King's College London
Supervisor	Simona Talani (Supervisor) & Roberto Roccu (Supervisor)