Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Simon Frank Parker of Magdalene College in the University of Cambridge.Traces the emergence of redistributive and participatory policy from 1946 through the 1980s. Main features include neighborhood councils and services like municipal pharmacies, and management with local economic development under a “Leninist Keynesian” strategy.  The Bolognese communist party, having established leadership during the WW2 resistance period, forged a social democratic policy alliance with other parties, establishing a municipal version of what they saw as a model for European nations.Magdalene College in the University of Cambridg