Migliorismo, or ''meliorism'', was a tendency within the Italian Communist Party. Its leader was

Giorgio Napolitano Giorgio Napolitano (; born 29 June 1925) is an Italian politician who served as president of Italy from 2006 to 2015, the first Italian president to be re-elected to the presidency. Due to his dominant position in Italian politics, some critics ...

, and it counted among its number Gerardo Chiaromonte and

Emanuele Macaluso Emanuele Macaluso (21 March 1924 – 19 January 2021) was an Italian trade unionist, politician, and journalist. Biography In 1941, Macaluso joined the clandestine Communist Party of Italy (PCdI; after 1943 known as the Italian Communist Part ...

. It was also referred to as the "right wing" of the Italian Communist Party, due to the relatively moderate and reformist views of its adherents.

Origins

The name ''migliorismo'' derives from the Italian verb ''migliorare'' ("to improve", which is the root of the English word ''ameliorate''), because its main goal was to improve the Italian capitalist system from the inside, by means of gradual reforms, according to a

social democratic Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote soci ...

programme rather than full-scale revolution. Its origins lay in the ideas of Giorgio Amendola, a prominent PCI leader during the post- World War II period, who discussed gradually abandoning Marxism in favour of social democratic and reformist theories. These ideas were suited for making alliances with more moderate centre-left parties, such as the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) and the Italian Social Democratic Party (PSDI). Consequently, ''migliorismo'' received extensive derogatory treatment from the revolutionary left wing of the PCI, which was led by Pietro Ingrao. The ''miglioristi'' did, however, receive some modest support from the pro-Soviet wing of the party in the days when it was headed by Armando Cossutta. During the early 1980s there were frequent conflicts between the secretary of the Communist Party Enrico Berlinguer and the exponents of ''migliorismo'', who criticized Berlinguer's renunciation of the historic compromise and his ongoing hostility to

Bettino Craxi Benedetto "Bettino" Craxi ( , , ; 24 February 1934 – 19 January 2000) was an Italian politician, leader of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) from 1976 to 1993, and the 45th prime minister of Italy from 1983 to 1987. He was the first PSI membe ...

, the leader of the PSI. The ''miglioristi'' believed that the party had allowed Craxi to monopolize the concept of 'modernization' in politics ('' Craxismo''), thereby leaving it unable to properly interpret the social and economic changes that had occurred in Italy. According to some critics, Craxi used the ''miglioristi'' as a tool to hamper Berlinguer. Several representatives of the ''migliorista'' wing of the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), born in 1991 from the ashes of the PCI, criticized Secretary

Achille Occhetto Achille Leone Occhetto (; born 3 March 1936) is an Italian political figure. He served as the last secretary-general of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) between 1988 and 1991, and the first leader of the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), the p ...

's decision to support the prosecutors investigating the numerous corruption scandals that arose during the Tangentopoli crisis, which they attacked as "judicialist". Some of the Milanese exponents of ''migliorismo'', who were often close to the PSI, were later arrested for corruption, although most of them were released without charge.

''Migliorismo'' today

Most former ''miglioristi'', including Napolitano, joined the Democrats of the Left, where they became associated with the positions of

Piero Fassino Piero Franco Rodolfo Fassino (born 7 October 1949) is an Italian politician with the Democratic Party. He was Mayor of Turin from 2011 until 2016 and is a former national secretary of the Democrats of the Left party.

and especially Enrico Morando. ''

Il Riformista ''Il Riformista'' (English: "The Reformist") is an Italian political and financial newspaper based in Rome, Italy. History and profile Launched on 23 October 2002, ''Il Riformista'' was formed of about four pages with Orange as main colour use ...

'', a left-oriented Italian newspaper, is a publication whose ideas are close to those of ''migliorismo''. Some ex-PCI ''miglioristi'', including Massimo Ferlini, Lodovico Festa and

Sandro Bondi Sandro Bondi (born 14 May 1959) is an Italian politician. He served as minister of culture from 2008 to 2011, in the Berlusconi IV Cabinet. Biography Bondi was born in Fivizzano, province of Massa-Carrara, Italy. He first attended school at Lau ...

, joined Silvio Berlusconi's party

Forza Italia Forza ItaliaThe name is not usually translated into English: ''forza'' is the second-person singular imperative of ''forzare'', in this case translating to "to compel" or "to press", and so means something like "Forward, Italy", "Come on, Ital ...

upon its foundation.

Notable ''miglioristi''

* Giorgio Amendola *

* Gerardo Chiaromonte *

Nilde Iotti Leonilde Iotti, commonly known as Nilde Iotti (; 10 April 1920 – 4 December 1999) was an Italian politician, member of the Italian Communist Party (PCI). She was the first and only woman member of the PCI to become the president of the Chamber ...

Giancarlo Pajetta Giancarlo Pajetta (24 June 1911 – 13 September 1990) was an Italian communist politician. Biography Pajetta was born in a working-class district of Turin to Carlo, a bank employee, and Elvira Berrini, an elementary schoolteacher. He attended ...

Luciano Lama Luciano Lama (14 October 1921 – 31 May 1996) was an Italian trade unionist and politician, General Secretary of Italian General Confederation of Labour from 1970 to 1986. Biography Role in the resistance Lama graduated in Political Science ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meliorism (Politics) Political history of Italy Social democracy Political party factions in Italy