Abstract

My aim in this paper is to investigate the way in which Gramsci’s thought deals with the question of European unity. This problem is present along the whole arc of Gramsci’s reflection, but is never explicitly addressed. It is possible to identify different phases of Gramsci’s reflection on the theme. The first one is immediately after WWI and is addressed to the analysis of Wilson’s Fourteen Points. The second one follows the change of political balances in the USSR after Lenin’s death and concerns the relationship between Russia and Europe. The last one is contained in Prison Notebooks and deals with the analysis of Benedetto Croce’s reflection on European History and with the comparison between the American and European ways of life. In all of these phases, Gramsci’s analysis is both philosophical, theoretical and political, which contributes to the originality of his approach to the theme.