Bettino Craxi
A charismatic and controversial socialist who reshaped Italian politics and held power longer than almost any leader since World War II.
1934–2000 (age 66)·Italian politician·Birthday: February 24·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bettino Craxi emerged from the Milanese political scene to become a force that recalibrated Italy's center-left. Leading the Italian Socialist Party, he broke the Christian Democrats' long dominance by forming a coalition and becoming the first Socialist prime minister in the postwar republic. His tenure from 1983 to 1987 was marked by decisive economic interventions and a robust, sometimes confrontational, foreign policy that elevated Italy's profile. Craxi's political style was one of undeniable vigor, but his legacy was ultimately eclipsed by the massive Tangentopoli corruption scandals of the early 1990s, which he faced from self-imposed exile in Tunisia until his death.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bettino was born in 1934, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bettino Was Born
The biggest hits of 1934
#1 Movie
It Happened One Night
Best Picture
It Happened One Night
Bettino's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1934Born
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1939Started school
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1947Became a teenager
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Could drive
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1952Could vote
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Turned 21
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1964Turned 30
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 40
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 50
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 60
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2000Died at 66
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
Key Achievements
- Served as Prime Minister of Italy for nearly four years, the longest-serving government of the First Republic.
- Led the Italian Socialist Party to its greatest electoral success and governmental influence in the postwar era.
- Signed the historic 1984 Concordat with the Vatican, revising the Lateran Pacts and further separating church and state in Italy.
- Played a key mediating role in the 1985 Achille Lauro hijacking crisis.
Did You Know?
His daughter, Stefania Craxi, followed him into politics and served as a senator and undersecretary of state.
He was a close friend and political ally of media magnate Silvio Berlusconi in the 1980s.
He died in Hammamet, Tunisia, where he had lived in exile for nearly a decade to avoid Italian prison sentences for corruption.
“I am not a defendant, I am a political opponent.”
