Socialism plus Temperament

Abstract This chapter traces Michels’ involvement with Italian socialists and syndicalists, initially as an interested observer and increasingly as a sympathetic interpreter mediating between the German and Italian socialist parties. As Michels became increasingly closely involved with Italian socialist politics, he developed strong sympathies for the left wing of the Italian Socialist Party, especially the revolutionary syndicalists such as Arturo Labriola, while also maintaining collegial relations with more reformist socialist intellectuals. Michels did not become as personally involved in socialist agitation in Italy as he did in Germany, despite contributing to a range of Italian socialist newspapers and periodicals. After Michels took up an academic position at the University of Turin in 1907, his involvement in Italian socialist politics started to wane.