ialists had
abandoned in the meantime the extremer phases of their revolutionary
propaganda. The elections of 1909 were precipitated by Giolitti's
dissolution of the Chamber, February 6, in consequence largely of the
dissatisfaction of the nation with the ministry's conciliatory
attitude toward Austria-Hungary following the annexation by that power
of the territories of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite the excitement
by which it was preceded, however, the campaign was a listless one.
The foreign situation as an issue was soon forgotten, and no
preponderating national question rose to assume its place. The (p. 403)
Left made the most of the opportunity to increase its parliamentary
strength, and the Catholics were more than ever active. The two
forces, however, in a measure offset each other, and the mass of the
nation, unreached by either, returned the customary overwhelming
Governmental majority. When various electoral contests had been
decided the quota of seats retained by each of the party groups in the
Chamber was found to be as follows: Radicals, 37; Socialists, 43;
Republicans, 23; Catholics, 16; Constitutional Opposition (separated
from the Government upon no vital matter of principle), 42; and
Ministerialists, or supporters of the Government, 346. These
supporters of the Government include men of varied political opinions,
but collectively they correspond approximately to the elements which
in other countries are apt to be designated Liberals, Progressives, or
Moderates.[578]

[Footnote 578: The political parties of Italy are
described briefly in Lowell, Governments and
Parties, II., Chap. 4, and at more length in King
and Okey, Italy To-day, Chaps. 1-3. Special works
of importance upon the subject include M.
Minghetti, I partiti politici e la ingerenza loro
nella giustizia e nell' amministrazione (2d ed.,
Bologna, 1881); P. Penciolelli, Le gouvernement
parlementaire et la lutte des partis en Italie
(Paris, 1911); and S. Sighele, Il nazionalismo e i
partiti politici (Milan, 1911). Of value are R.
Bonfadini, I partiti parlamentari, in _Nuova
Antologia_, Feb. 15, 1894, and A. Torresin,
Statistica delle elezioni generali politiche, in