«That barbarian music». Traditional langauges in general strike of 1914 in Romagna

di Enrico Baroncini
in Memoria e Ricerca n.s. 39 (2012), p. 139

During the general strike of 1914 in Romagna the mobilization of the members of the progressive parties and trade unions was large and unexpected, taking in some cases a revolutionary character. The actions of the protesters, among which there were destruction of churches and railways, were assimilated by the conservative press, and by some of the progressive, as purely criminal acts. In some cases, however, traces of charivari appear, which is an appropriate language for the political aims of the protesters. The use of the ambiguous symbol of the liberty tree in the strike demonstrations in Romagna is analyzed in the various components of both politics and folklore. Key words: traditional cultures, charivari, liberty tree, general strike, popular riots, Romagna