Italian Christian Democracy: The Politics of Dominance

by Robert Leonardi, Douglas A. Wertman

The Italian Christian Democratic Party is seen to be the most successful political party in any Western democracy. It has been the plurality party in all postwar parliamentary elections and has been in power in an uninterrupted manner since 1945. In attempting to examine the party's impact on Italy's postwar political system and society, this book presents an analysis of its birth and ideological foundations, electorate, organization and membership, its ties to the Catholic world, leadership cadre, factions, internal debates, multi-faceted power and political alliances. Robert Leonardi has also written "Il Caso Basilicata" (co-author), "Italian Politics, A Review" (co-editor) and "La Pianta E Le Radici" (co-author).

279 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1989