The Polemics of Amadeo Bordiga, 1912–1922
Milan Reith
Abstract
In the early twentieth century, the political status of freemasonry was increasingly called into question. In Italy, a key aspect of these discussions revolved around the perceived contradiction between masonic affiliations and working-class political commitments. A key figure within this context was the Italian writer Amadeo Bordiga, a Marxist who became one of the founders of the Italian Communist Party. In a series of polemical articles written between 1912 and 1922, Bordiga argued that freemasonry was based on bourgeois and conservative foundations, while calling for the expulsion of freemasons from socialist organisations.
This article examines these polemics, as well as the events surrounding their publication. We will see how Bordiga’s engagement with anti-masonry intersected with significant moments in his political career—spanning from his youthful intransigence within the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) to his eventual role as the internationally recognised leader of the Leninist movement in Italy. Bordiga’s relationship with Benito Mussolini will be discussed, as well as the way in which the two men carried over their early anti-masonic efforts into the development of new political directions in the 1920s. Finally, some attention will be given to how these findings fit into the current historiography on the topic.
Keywords
Amadeo Bordiga; communism; socialism; freemasonry; anti-masonry