228 
THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. 
and the revolutionary idea. Both are now established so 
thoroughly that, next to Spain, Italy is perhaps the most 
revolutionary country in the world. There is in Italy what 
is wanting elsewhere : a youth, ardent, energetic, without 
career, with no outlet, and which, in spite of their bourgeois 
origin, are not morally and intellectually worn out as in other 
countries. To-day they throw themselves headlong into revo 
lutionary Socialism with our whole programme, the programme 
of the Alliance. Mazzini, our ‘ genial ’ and powerful antagonist, 
is dead, and the Mazzinian party completely disorganized; 
while Garibaldi allows himself more and more to be drawn 
along by this youth of Italy, who bear his name indeed, but who 
go ahead infinitely faster and further than he.” 
As Bakunin says, the elements of revolution exist in Italy ; 
but what renders a revolution almost impossible there is the 
want of a revolutionary capital. The Americans were well 
advised to place the head-quarters of their States in small 
towns. The French Republicans, with less foresight, have 
made a great mistake in bringing back the Chambers to Paris. 
The malaria, which renders Rome uninhabitable during part 
of the year, will preserve it for some time longer from the 
danger of becoming the seat of a new Commune. 
Socialist newspapers have swarmed in Italy, thanks to the 
complete liberty of the press. But they are short-lived, for 
want of subscribers : they die as soon as they have devoured 
the small funds provided by some enthusiastic group. 
Plebe of Milan is, however, an exception ; it has been in 
existence for fifteen years. Signor Cusumano, a young and 
learned professor of the University of Palermo, has made a 
list of the “ red ” journals which have come and gone. The 
total exceeds eighty.* 
I borrow from Rudolf Meyer some extracts from news 
papers which show the tendencies of extreme Socialism. In 
* Some of the names of these papers are characteristic : for instance, 
II Communardo, of Fano ; Satam, PAteo and II Ladro (the Robber), oj 
Livorno ; La Canaglia, of Pavia ; II Lticifero, of Ancona ; Spartaco and 
La Campana., of Naples ; L'Eguaglianza and La Giustizia, of Girgenti J 
II Petrolio, of Ferrara ; It Pavero, of Palermo ; VAnticristo, of Milan ; and 
It Proletario, of Turin.