From 1919-1921, the Biennio Rosso, Italian workers and revolutionaries were involved in mass strikes, factory occupations and workers-control organizations inspired by the soviets in Russia. While Antonio Gramsci's Prison Notebooks are widely read and valued for their theoretical contribution, they are best understood as the culmination of intense political involvement and theoretical development acquired through Gramsci's work throughout this and the following period. This talk explores the historical roots of Italian radicalism, the Biennio Rosso, the Turin strikes and the influence of Gramsci and the L'Ordinovisti , the role of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), and Gramsci's theoretical conclusions.