Alcide De Gasperi and the problem of reconstruction

Starting with a quick overview of the historiography of Italy from Fascism to the Republic, this article looks at Alcide De Gasperi’s establishment as a leader within both the Italian political system and within his Party – the Christian Democrats – casting new light on three aspects of his political activity: (1) his relationship with the Church and the Catholics’ new modes of participation in political life; (2) the reasons inspiring the definition of the Republican State’s institutional architecture; and (3) alliance strategy in government formation and in relationships with the other parties. The originality of De Gasperi’s political activity can be defined in terms of these issues, together with the development of a distinctive political leadership, for too long overlooked, that would play a critical role in carrying Italy through its postwar reconstruction.