Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 1976 The PCI Resurgent: 1943-1945 Karen Adele Tosi Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the European History Commons, and the Political History Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Tosi, Karen Adele, "The PCI Resurgent: 1943-1945" (1976). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 2331. https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.2328 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Karen Adele Tosi for the Master of Arts in History presented July 29, 1976 Title: The PCI Resurgent: 1943-1945 APPROVED BY MEMBERS OF THE THESIS COMMITTEE: Charles M. White Michael F. Reardon The Italian Communist Party (PCI) emerged from the chaos of the Italian defeat in 1943 as a powerful and cohesive movement. Based upon organizational development throughout the years of Fascist rule in Italy, plus a combination of vigorous partisan activities and a willing- ness to compromise politically in exchange for governmental participation, the PCI showed promise for achieving economic and social change in Italy. Conservative countermeasures and Allied pressures, however, diminished the Communist advantage until, by 1947, the Party was no longer represented in the postwar government. The success apparent in the economic arena due to the Christian Democrat's program initiated in their monocolore government of 1947 and an East-West demarcation 2 internationally, with the Soviets gaining control in Eastern Europe, created for the general elections of April, 1948 an atmosphere ripe for Christian Democrat exploitation.