Abstract
In this article, Richard Bosworth examines the state of the recent Italian past in the light of the April 2006 elections, so narrowly contested between coalitions of Left and Right. In doing so, he utilises Tony Judt's recent commentary about the place of history in general, and the history of the Second World War in particular, arguing that Italy may helpfully be compared in its historiographical tensions with the ex-communist countries of Eastern Europe. Bosworth concludes optimistically that, if the perverse figure of Silvio Berlusconi can finally be extracted from the Italian body politic, now may be the moment for a more subtle and comprehensive understanding of Italy's ‘long Second World War’ and so of the meaning of its Fascist dictatorship.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1089-1101 |
| Journal | History Compass |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |