ALDO DI VIRGILIO

Politica e scienze sociali in Italia nel secondo dopoguerra: l'esperienza di «Tempi Moderni»  

N. 2/1985

Summary — The article provides a selective survey of the political and cultural evolution of the review Tempi moderni, , from its first appearance in 1957 until the end of the New Series in 1968.

The article examines two main aspects of the development of the publication: on one hand the importance of certain essays published in the review and its major role in introducing and spreading the social sciences in Italy; on the other hand the attempt to persuade political parties to adopt a more empirical basis for political thought and action.

In the opinion of the a., the New Series — edited by the Centro Italiano di Ricerche e Documentazione (CIRD) — was, from both points of view, the most momentous and politically sophisticated era of the review. The a. shows how a) during the period Tempi moderni turned out to be a privileged forum for illuminating essays and original research on all aspects of Italian political system: political parties, burocracy, trade unions and pressure groups as well as for debate on political participation and public administration in Italy; how b) the areas of research and the topics discussed by Tempi moderni were closely connected to crucial events in Italian political life such as the appearance of the ‘Centro sinistra’, the development of a planned economy and the debate on the ‘Costituente socialista’; how c) an intellectual group formed around the central personality of Fabrizio Onofri, the editor of the review, in the common belief in the necessity to free research from ideological restraints.

The a. concludes that although the aim of the review to create a fruitful rapport with more open minded decision makers was largely unsuccesful , Tempi moderni nevertheless made an important contribution to the recognition and the acceptance of Political Science in Italy.