Italian state life since 1848 was characterized by transformism

Evidence

The Moderates continued to lead the Action Party even after 1870 and 1876, and so-called “transformism” 45 was only the parliamentary expression of this action of intellectual, moral and political hegemony. Indeed one might say that the entire State life of Italy from 1848 onwards has been characterised by transformism—in other words by the formation of an ever more extensive ruling class, within the framework established by the Moderates after 1848 and the collapse of the neo-Guelph 46 and federalist 47 Utopias. — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 429

Categorization

• DEFINE: Transformism defined as the parliamentary expression of hegemony via continuous absorption of rival elements.