Modern Italy in Historical Perspective

A sense of failure pervades Italian history: the failure of the Liberal State after Unification to democratize, mobilize and modernize Italian politics, economy and society; the rise of Fascism as a reflection of these shortcomings; the problems of the post-war Republic, tainted by corruption, organized crime and terrorism. The notion has arisen of Italy as a deviant nation, unable or unwilling to follow the "normal" path of state development.

These perceptions are the stuff of historical...