By Emily Vincent

Introduction

Bella Ciao by Manu Pilas. 

The origins of this song date back to the 19th century as an Italian protest folk song against the harsh working conditions of Mondina workers in Northern Italy. Mondina workers, who were mostly women tending to rice fields, used the song as a form of resistance.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Bella Ciao was later adopted—albeit with most of its lyrics changed—to support the Italian Resistance during World War II. Although there is little evidence that partisans actively used this song as a protest anthem (Giusti), its historical significance continues to inspire future social movements. Every year on April 25th, Italians sing this song to commemorate Liberation Day—the day Italy was freed from German occupation and the rule of

Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini—as well as to express anti-fascist protest.  (Oltermann)

Before discussing the modern use of Bella Ciao, I want to first define what constitutes a social movement. According to the book Persuasion and Social Movements, a social movement must meet six criteria: it must be “organized, non-institutionalized, large in scope, promote or oppose changes in societal norms and values, encounter opposition in a moral struggle, and rely primarily on persuasion to bring about or resist change.” (Stewart, p. 23) The book further explains that “social movements are intricate social dramas involving multiple scenes, act agencies, and purposes.” (Stewart, p. 23)

Based on this definition, I will apply both Kenneth Burke’s Pentad and Ernest G. Bormann’s Symbolic Convergence Theory as theoretical frameworks to explore and explain how Bella Ciao has evolved beyond its original use to become a powerful anthem in contemporary social movements.

Modern Uses of Bella Ciao in Social Movements

Today, Bella Ciao resonates as both an anti-fascist anthem and a response to government control.

Additionally, it has evolved to play a role in the Women’s Rights Movement.

In October 2020, activists in Wrocław, Poland, sang a rewritten and adapted version of Bella Ciao to protest a restrictive abortion bill set to become law. Although the protests across the country deterred the first bill, another, still extreme version, abortion bill did pass. (Walker)

Poland’s lyrics, translated into English: ‘One Thursday, the Polish Tribunal tried to take over my body, your body, body, body, body!’ (Salerno).

In December 2020, activists in Buenos Aires, Argentina, performed their own rewritten version of Bella Ciao in response to the ongoing femicide (with notorious murders since 2011) and a bill that would legalize abortion rights.  (Prusa & Salerno).

Argentina’s lyrics, translated into English: ‘This system that oppresses us, will fall, fall, fall’ (Salerno).

However, these two countries are not the only ones to have adopted, adapted, and used Bella Ciao in movements beyond anti-fascism. It was sung during Chile’s 2019 protests over the cost of living causing the deaths of at least 11 people (BBC – Chile), in India’s farmers’ protests between 2020 and 2021 for good and guaranteed prices on their crops (BBC – India), and even in

France’s grassroots Yellow Vest Movement for economic justice on the price of fuel. (Cigainero)

Theoretical Analysis

The Pentad

When analyzing Bella Ciao through the lens of Kenneth Burke’s Pentad, we must break it down into its five elements: act, scene, agent, agency, and purpose. (Communication Theory)

• Act refers to what has been done—the primary action. In this case, the act is Bella Ciao being sung as a protest anthem across various social movements.
• Scene provides the context in which the act takes place. Based on historical and contemporary usage, the scene varies across different locations, including Italy, Poland, Argentina, India, Chile, and France.
• Agents refer to the people or groups involved. Originally, this included the Mondinas when the song was first created and the partisans when it was adapted during World War

II. Today, the agents are protesters, activists, and movement leaders who use Bella Ciao as a symbol of unification and resistance.

• Agency refers to the means or tools used to perform the act. In this case, the song itself serves as a rhetorical tool. Its melody, lyrics, and adaptability allow it to be repurposed for different struggles.
• Purpose refers to the underlying motivation. As we’ve seen, the purpose of Bella Ciao is freedom—to inspire solidarity, mobilize supporters, and amplify messages of resistance and change.

Although Bella Ciao is not a social movement in itself, it is a powerful tool within movements. It fosters identification through its shared performance and historical resonance, making it a compelling example of Burke’s Pentad in action.

Symbolic Convergence Theory

Bella Ciao has developed a shared, symbolic meaning over time, connecting not only the Italian people but also women, farmers, pedestrians or motorists, and everyday individuals. They come together in a shared hope of resistance. 

The book Persuasion and Social Movements discusses identification tactics, including the use of an implied “we” to establish common ground, shared purpose, and collective struggle. Even if the specific issues vary across different countries, participation in group actions fosters empathy and a sense of unity around a common cause. Notably, the final word in each version of the song is “freedom”—a universal aspiration that unites all who sing it.

Both Poland and Argentina adapted Bella Ciao to fit their causes and audiences, demonstrating another method of identification. In Argentina, the protest was in response to the murder of 14-year-old Chiara Páez, who was killed by her boyfriend for wanting to keep their baby. Along with 19-year-old Úrsula Bahillo who filed, “more than a dozencomplaints to authorities about her ex-boyfriend’s abuse and threats.” She was still murdered by her boyfriend. (Diaz) As noted in the book, the collective empathy for Chiara, Úrsula, and other girls, combined with the use of Bella Ciao, strengthened the protesters’ sense of solidarity to become the movement it was.

Symbolic Convergence Theory states, “that shared fantasies or symbols among individuals or groups create a sense of collective identity or convergence, referred to as shared group consciousness.” (Daniels) With the requirement of communication shaping reality and symbols with meanings can create a shared understanding – Bella Ciao has proven time after time it’s usefulness as a tool in not only social movements and the use of Symbolic Convergence Theory across the Globe.

Music as a Persuasive and Evolutionary Tool

But what is Bella Ciao if not just an identification tool? It is also a persuasive tool. It is repetitive in nature, both in its lyrics and its melody, which enables participation. Dick Weissman, in Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution, states towards the end of his book that:

“Most songs are about three minutes long. It is possible, but difficult, to capture a major issue in such a short time capsule.” … “There are a number of problems in attempting to define something change, or even a specific issue, in such a brief format. One problem is that many issues are too complex to be treated in this way, at least for a mass audience.” … “Even though a song cannot create social change, it can certainly be the inspiration that ultimately leads to such changes.”

(Weissman, p. 321)

Here, we can see that Dick Weissman contradicts himself. He clarifies that he doesn’t cover songs by non-American artists unless the artist has permanently moved to the United States, which is why he did not cover Bella Ciao or any of its historical components. I find his treatment of certain topics or genres to be lacking. In this case, I don’t think he could provide a comprehensive understanding of the true complexity of this song and its use in the two movements it was part of at the time he wrote his book.

Based on its use in social movements since then, we can see that the lyrics have been adopted, changed, and applied in very different contexts around the globe. However, the ultimate goal of these movements isn’t just one specific change or another—it’s freedom.

I would agree with his final point in the paragraph above: no single song is the creator of change.

It is a tool, so to speak, that assists in the actions for change. Finally:

“I also find it daunting that a few small corporations own so many radio stations that the idea of a real protest song being widely played on the air is virtually unthinkable. The internet has its possibilities, but it is so fragmented that it may never provide the opportunity for a song to enjoy mass exposure, unless it is sung by an artist that is already well-known. Who knows what new platforms will arise, or artists will utilize them?” (Weissman, p. 322)

While I agree that there is a significant barrier to getting protest songs into mass media, Dick Weissman did not anticipate the evolution of social media before his book was published. Had he seen the rapid rise of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, he would likely have rethought his position. His book, Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revolution, was published in 2010. At the time, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest were online, but not as widely used as they are today—though MySpace was already on its way out. Since then, Musical.ly became TikTok, which has grown exponentially to the point that it has even been banned in the United States. Instagram became the birthplace of influencers and a space for musicians to share their music outside of traditional media. The use of video is what Weissman likely missed in his evaluation of the future of ‘the internet.’

Bella Ciao may have originated in the 19th century, but since its revival in La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) starting in 2017, the song has gained momentum, particularly as it played during important scenes when introducing characters or new plot points. The momentum of the multi-toned song grew dramatically, as we saw with its use in social movements across the globe. Not only that, it became a song in solidarity during COVID-19. In both German and Italian neighborhoods, people would sing and play the beautiful tune from their balconies.

(Fernandez)

What else is it, if not just an identification tactic or a tool to push for change? It is also evolutionary. My point here is not to track which specific social movements have evolved with Bella Ciao, but rather how the tactics used and the tools themselves have evolved or contributed to the evolution of other social movements.

We can see how tools evolve alongside social movements, such as in the Women’s Rights Movement during the early suffragettes. Women of color were often excluded from the suffragette movement, and it wasn’t until the phrase, speech, and tool “Ain’t I a Woman”—written by advocate and abolitionist Sojourner Truth – became a rallying cry to include Black women in feminism in 1851. (U.S. National Park Service)

Bella Ciao has evolved beyond its original cause, but it still represents struggle and solidarity. The symbolic meaning of the song can grow as a movement shifts—from rice farmers to anti-Semitism and anti-fascism to feminism and anti-femicide.

Final Notes

Bella Ciao takes the cake in regard to being an adaptable, transnational, transcultural movement song. In the book, Persuasion and Social Movements, it’s listed that one of the advantages of protest songs are, “Songs are created and designed for repetition, and they are often sung

(perhaps with the addition of timely lyrics) throughout life cycles of social movements.” (Stewart, p. 155) Many of the social movements above found power in adapting Bella Ciao for their language and to their movement – even if the movement wasn’t directly against anti-facism. I’m sure we will continue to see Bella Ciao be used as time goes on, and as the world changes,

for better or for worse.                                      

Works Cited

1. Giusti, Marianna. “Bella Ciao – Italy’s Liberation Anthem Has Deep Roots.” FT.Com, Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2021. All rights reserved. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web., 19 Apr. 2021, ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/bella-ciao.html.   
2. Oltermann, Philip. “Bella Ciao: A Brief History of the Resistance Anthem Sung to Viktor Orbán.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 11 Oct. 2024, www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/11/bella-ciao-resistance-anthem-history-meps-stra sbourg-viktor-orban. 
3. Walker, Shaun. “Pro-Choice Protesters March in Polish Cities amid Abortion Ban Anger.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Oct. 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/23/poland-braced-for-more-protests-over-abortion -ban-ruling. 
4. Salerno, D., & van de Warenburg, M. (2023). ‘Bella ciao’: A portable monument for transnational activism. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 26(2), 164-181.

https://doi.org/10.1177/13678779221145374  (Original work published 2023)  5. “Chile Protests: Cost of Living Protests Take Deadly Toll.” BBC News, BBC, 21 Oct.

2019, www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-50119649.  

• “Why India Farmers Are Protesting Again.” BBC News, BBC, 13 Feb. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-68282270.  
• Cigainero, Jake. “Who Are France’s Yellow Vest Protesters, and What Do They Want?”

NPR, NPR, 3 Dec. 2018, www.npr.org/2018/12/03/672862353/who-are-frances-yellow-vest-protesters-and-what-d o-they-want.  

• Diaz, Jaclyn. “How #niunamenos Grew from the Streets of Argentina into a Regional Women’s Movement.” NPR, NPR, 15 Oct. 2021, www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1043908435/how-niunamenos-grew-from-the-streets-of-argenti na-into-a-regional-womens-movemen.  
• “Sojourner Truth: Ain’t I A Woman? (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 17 Nov. 2017, www.nps.gov/articles/sojourner-truth.htm. 
• Weissman, Dick. Talkin’ ’Bout A Revolution: Music and Social Change in America.

Backbeat Books: An Imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation, 2010. 

1. Stewart, Charles J., et al. Persuasion and Social Movements. 6th ed., Waveland Press,

Inc., 2012. 

1. Fernandez, Celia. “Bella Ciao Lyrics – Meaning of ‘Money Heist’ Italian Folk Song.” Oprah Daily, 29 July 2021, www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a28785300/bella-ciao-lyrics-meaning/.  
2. Prusa, Anya, et al. “‘not One Women Less, Not One More Death:’ Feminist Activism and

Policy Responses to Gender-Based Violence in Latin America.” Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 22 Jan. 2021, gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/08/12/not-one-women-less-not-one-more-death-feminist-activi sm-and-policy-responses-to-gender-based-violence-in-latin-america/.  

11

1. Daniels, Nila. “Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT): EBSCO.” EBSCO Information Services, Inc. | Www.Ebsco.Com, 2023 www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/symbolic-convergence-theory-sct.  
2. Communication. “Burke’s Dramatism Theory.” Communication Theory, 14 Oct. 2024, www.communicationtheory.org/burkes-dramatism-theory/.