Fra corporativismo e sicurezza sociale: il dibattito dei cattolici milanesi dal fascismo alla Repubblica

This article examines how the Italian Catholic world addressed the problem of the welfare system and the social protection for middle classes. Milanese Catholicism and the Catholic University play an important role, in particular through the work of Fanfani and of the rector Father Gemelli. Both economic reflection and historical analysis highlighted the issue of policies of poor relief, in relation both to fascist corporatism and the encyclical of Pius XI, Milanese Pope, Quadragesimo anno, issued in 1931. After the Second World War, the focus shifted to social security as the final goal of the public assistance, especially during the Social Week of Bologna in 1949, once again with the contribution of the Catholic University. However, in this debate and in following stances of Catholics regarding the welfare model the universalist perspective was linked to a persistent idea of collaboration between social classes.