Abstract Šaranović 2012

The Crisis of Eurocommunism in the 1970s and 1980s

Adis Šaranović

Abstract: This article deals with the crises which the Communist parties of Western Europe were facing during the 1970s and 1980s. Their problems were huge; from crises of the political ideas inside of every single party to the ideological divergences with the leading Communist party of that time — the Communist party of the Soviet Union. These problems were common and linked to the so-called “Eurocommunism crisis.” This article explains the term of Eurocommunism, analyzes the manner how the Communist parties of France, Italy and Spain addressed and resolved this crisis and which solutions they offered in that moment. The conclusion of the article summarizes a general overview of this issue which arises from case studies of the three Communist parties.

Keywords: Communism, Eurocommunism, crises, French Communist Party PCF, Italian communists, Th e Catalan Communist Party (PSUC), the Spanish CP