«Giving substance to the Constitution». 1971: The Right to Assistance through parliamentary Hearings in Italy
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63277/gsc.v50i.4683Keywords:
Social Assistance, Italian Constitution, Parliamentary hearings, Social ReformsAbstract
This article examines the parliamentary hearings initiated in 1971 by the Second Committee on Internal Affairs of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, which focused on the state of public and private assistance in Italy. Set within the broader framework of the 1970s welfare reforms, the initiative represents a significant step in giving concrete effect to the right to assistance enshrined in Article 38 of the Constitution. Drawing on parliamentary hearing records and collected data, the study highlights the structural shortcomings of the Italian assistance system, such as legal fragmentation, centralised decision-making and charitable logics, while also shedding light on the shift towards a more inclusive, community-based and rights-oriented model. Although the inquiry was never completed, it represents a crucial stage in the evolution of assistance in Italy, contributing to the definition of a reform path grounded in human dignity, substantive equality, and democratic participation.
