Italy, until recently the sick man of Western Europe, is so robust that social scientists should be dizzy. A mere decade after last rites were being pronounced, it is flourishing in a manner that may make it a model for Europe's fast-unfolding future. It may be especially suited to absorb the political and cultural shocks of 1992, the unified market of the 12 nations of the European Community. Italy had Europe's first formidable Fascist Party. As recently as a dozen years ago, when "Eurocommunism" was a cresting wave (Italian Communists got 34.5 percent of the votes in 1976), Italy had the las...
