What is the Ventotene Manifesto, meaning and explanation

Born during the Second World War, the Manifesto of Ventotene It is the document that first paved the way towards a United, free and federal Europe. Written by opponents of fascism while they were confined on the island of Ventotene, it has become over the years a symbol of resistance, political vision and project for lasting peace among the nations.

What is the Ventotene Manifesto?

The Ventotene Manifesto is a political document drawn up in 1941 da Altiero Spinelli e Ernesto Rossi, with the contribution of Eugenio Colorni, during their confinement on the island of Ventotene, imposed by the fascist regime.

The original title is “For a free and united Europe. A manifesto project”, and represents one of the founding texts of themodern Europeanism.

It was not just a philosophical idea, but a concrete project to refound Europe after the war, starting from a Federation of States that renounced part of their sovereignty to guarantee peace, freedom and progress.

The historical and political significance of the Ventotene Manifesto

The manifesto was born at a time when Europe was destroyed by war and dominated by totalitarian regimes. In this context, Spinelli and Rossi launch a revolutionary idea: peace cannot be built by keeping nation states intact, because it is precisely nationalistic rivalries that have generated world conflicts.

The meaning of the Manifesto is therefore clear and unequivocal:

• overcome nationalism
• abandon the logic of the nation-state
• create a European Federation with supranational and democratic institutions
• defend individual rights and build an order based on social justice

The content of the Ventotene manifesto

The document is divided into three main sections, which develop a real action plan:

1. The Crisis of Modern Civilization

The failure of the national state is analyzed, considered responsible for wars and oppression. It is highlighted how democracies have been overwhelmed by totalitarianism, and how war cannot be avoided if the current international order is maintained.

2. Post-war tasks

The authors argue that the main objective, once the war is over, should be the construction of a European federation. It will not be enough to restore the old democracies: it will be necessary radically change the political structure of Europe.

3. The reform of society

In addition to the institutional level, the manifesto also addresses social and economic issues: it hopes for a more fair, supportive, based on work and rights, far from the injustices of wild capitalism and the repression of dictatorships.

The relationship with totalitarianism

The Manifesto is born in direct opposition to totalitarian regimes of the twentieth century, in particular:

• il Italian fascism
• il German Nazism
• lo Soviet Stalinism

According to Spinelli and Rossi, all totalitarianisms, even if of a different nature, tend towards the concentration of power, to the cancellation of individual liberties and the suppression of critical thinking. The manifesto proposes a clear alternative: the construction of a supranational democratic system, where freedoms are not just formal, but truly guaranteed.

The text also contrasts with those who, in the post-war period, would have liked simply re-establish the old balances, without addressing the root causes of the conflict.

Why the Ventotene Manifesto is important

Il Ventotene Manifesto is important because it represents the first concrete political project for a united and federal Europe, conceived in opposition to totalitarianism which had devastated the continent.

It is a text that has anticipated the need to move beyond nation states, seen as the cause of conflicts, proposing instead a federation of European states capable of guaranteeing peace, democracy and rights.

Its importance is linked to several reasons:

• laid the foundations ideological and political aspects of the European Union
• provided a alternative model to authoritarian regimes
• became a symbol of resistance and political vision in the heart of the war
• continues to inspire debate on European integration, sovereignty and democracy

In an era marked by fragmentation, it still represents today a powerful call for unity, freedom and shared responsibility among the peoples of Europe.

The legacy of the manifesto

Although it initially circulated clandestinely, the Ventotene Manifesto has become over the years a point of reference for pro-European movements and directly inspired the birth of the first community institutions.

Spinelli's federalist thought influenced key personalities of European reconstruction such as:

• Jean Monnet
• Robert Schuman
• Alcide de Gasperi
• Konrad Adenauer
• Paul Henri Spaak

Today the Manifesto is considered one of the documents fundamental in the history of the European Union and is often cited when discussing a more united, democratic and supranational Europe.