The Growing Use of Force: Constitutional Effects

In the contemporary world, the distinction between the state of peace and the state of war has been progressively blurred, the debate over national security has included new threats and new responses, and a large share of the military activities of constitutional democracies consists of participation in international peace keeping and peace enforcement missions. In Italy, these developments generated new political and administrative practices from the part of the Government, the Parliament, the Supreme Council of Defence, and, to a lesser extent, new legislative output. The study includes comments on the changing concept of war, on the rejection of neutrality by the Italian Constitutional Assembly and the “true” meaning of Art. 11 of the Constitution, as well as on the ways and significance of the Italian military engagement outside the national borders.