Dal disarmo ai progetti paneuropei : Gorbačëv nella prospettiva dei socialisti europei (1985-1992)

Historiography has long debated Gorbachev’s alleged conversion to social-demo- cratic ideals. While the notion of reformist communism seems to settle this debate in favour of placing Perestroika and New Thinking within a communist framework, the relationship between European socialists and Gorbachev remains little investigated. This paper aims to explore this relationship. The author argues that, despite playing a pivotal role in the Ussr-EC rapprochement since 1985, European socialists were initially sceptical of Gorbachev’s openings. The documentation relating to the Socialist Group in the EP and the Socialist International is useful to go into subsequent developments, starting with an initial convergence on disarmament issues. The Soviet side-lining of the international communist movement would lead in 1987-88 to a further evolution of this relationship, despite the persistence of deep ideological differences. Both shared the same concern for the redefinition of East-West relations on a continental level. It is in this context that one must read the socialist interest in the Common European Home as well as a few other pan-European projects produced by the socialist world since the autumn of 1989.