La Sinistra Storica, In 6 Minuti (Storia d'Italia)

Summary

The 'Historical Left' era in Italy spanned from 1876 to the late 19th century, marked by significant political, social, and economic reforms. Agostino Depretis' government, supported by a segment of the historical Right, implemented transformative policies like the Coppino Law making elementary education free and compulsory, and the Zanardelli electoral reform expanding the electorate. Socially, the era introduced worker protections and investigated rural living conditions, revealing widespread malnutrition and poverty. Economically, it focused on tax relief, industrial development, and protectionist tariffs. Internationally, it shifted alliances towards the Triple Alliance and pursued colonial ambitions, notably the failed Adwa campaign of 1896, which led to the downfall of Francesco Crispi and the end of the Historical Left period.

Takeaways

• 😀 The historical left era in Italy spanned from 1876 to approximately 1896, marking a significant period in Italian political history.
• 🏛️ The term 'historical left' was used to distinguish this period from the mass parties and movements that emerged in the 20th century.
• 👑 After the resignation of the right-wing government in 1876, King Victor Emmanuel II tasked Agostino Depretis to form a new government, which included support from some right-wing factions.
• 📚 The Coppino Law of 1877 made elementary education free and compulsory for three years, significantly increasing school attendance.
• 🗳️ The Zanardelli electoral reform of 1882 expanded the electorate by lowering the voting age and introducing literacy as a voting criterion, thus including a part of the working class.
• 🏭 The historical left introduced social measures to protect workers and initiated studies to examine living conditions in rural areas, revealing widespread malnutrition and poverty.
• 🌾 Economically, the historical left abolished unpopular taxes, sought fiscal reliefs, and invested in industrial development, also implementing protectionist policies to shield domestic industries.
• 🛃 In 1878, under industrial pressure, the government introduced tariff protections for the textile and steel industries, later extending these to agriculture to counter cheap grain imports from the USA.
• 🌍 In foreign policy, the historical left shifted from an alliance with France to joining the Triple Alliance with the Central European empires, and initiated Italian colonialism with the occupation of Massawa in Eritrea.
• 🔄 After Depretis, Francesco Crispi became a key figure in Italian politics, characterized by both authoritarian measures and progressive reforms such as reducing the workday and approving social assistance laws.
• 🏰 Crispi's foreign policy included fostering friendship with Germany and antagonism towards France, culminating in the disastrous defeat at Adwa in 1896, which led to his resignation and marked the end of the historical left era.

Q & A

What is the historical period referred to as 'sinistra storica'?

The 'sinistra storica' refers to the period in Italian history from 1876, following the fall of the historical right, until around 1896 when the end-of-century crisis began, leading to the Giolittian era.

Why was the term 'sinistra storica' used to distinguish political movements?

The term 'sinistra storica' was used to distinguish the political parties and movements of that time from those that would emerge later in the 20th century, which were also referred to as 'sinistra' or left-wing.

What significant event marked the beginning of the 'sinistra storica' period?

The beginning of the 'sinistra storica' period is marked by the resignation of the historical right's last government, led by Minghetti, in March 1876, leading to King Victor Emmanuel II appointing Agostino Depretis to form a new government.

What was the transformative political strategy known as 'trasformismo'?

The strategy of 'trasformismo' involved Agostino Depretis' government seeking broad convergences with opposition sectors on specific issues, thus creating a new political alignment that included elements from both the historical right and left.

What was the Coppino Law and what did it achieve?

The Coppino Law, approved on July 15, 1877, made elementary school free and extended the school term to five years, while also increasing the compulsory schooling to three years, significantly increasing literacy rates.

How did the Zanardelli electoral reform of 1882 change the Italian electorate?

The Zanardelli electoral reform lowered the voting age to 21 and reduced the tax payment requirement for voting, thus expanding the electorate to 6.9% of the Italian population, up from 2.2% in 1880, and granting a significant portion of the working class the right to vote.

What were the social measures introduced by the 'sinistra storica'?

The 'sinistra storica' introduced the first measures to protect workers and initiated studies to examine the living conditions of the rural population, such as the 'inchiesta gli acini' which revealed widespread malnutrition, high infant mortality, and poor hygiene.

What economic reforms did the 'sinistra storica' implement to support Italian industry?

The 'sinistra storica' pursued a policy of tax relief and investment in industrial development, and to protect domestic industries from foreign competition, they introduced protective tariffs, first for the textile and steel industries in 1878, and later for agriculture in 1887.

How did the foreign policy of the 'sinistra storica' under Depretis differ from previous Italian alliances?

Depretis shifted from the traditional alliance with France and joined the Triple Alliance with the Central European empires of Austria-Hungary and Germany, also promoting Italian colonialism with the occupation of Massawa in Eritrea in 1884.

What were the key characteristics of Francesco Crispi's domestic and foreign policies?

Domestically, Crispi's policies included some authoritarian measures such as suppressing the Sicilian Fasci revolt and dissolving the Italian Socialist Party, but also progressive reforms like reducing the workday, social assistance laws, and the abolition of the death penalty. In foreign policy, he cultivated friendships with Germany and increased hostility towards France, leading to an unsuccessful attempt to provoke a war in 1888.

What was the outcome of the Italian colonial campaign in Adwa in 1896, and what were the consequences for Crispi?

The Italian colonial campaign in Adwa in 1896 ended in a disastrous defeat with over 6,000 Italian soldiers dead. Crispi was accused of recklessness and misjudging the situation, leading to his resignation and marking the end of the 'sinistra storica' era.