Re: Reformist

It was actually the PCI I had in mind. The PCI was a genuine mass party, well entrenched in Italian politics, controlling numerous municipalities etc. etc. etc. in what was, nonetheless, a thoroughly non-revolutionary situation. Originally revolutionary parties in that position necessarily have to evolve towards reformism - if a society is not ripe for revolution, no amount of propaganda, principled lines or anything else can conjure one up. In that situation, you have the choice between being consistently revolutionary but small and powerless, or accommodating to the existing order but with a degree of power and influence. This dilemma first appeared in the socialist movement in the 19th century (remember the great pre WW1 heresy of Millerandism?) and has never gone away since.