The review analyzes Marco Labbate’s book on the history of conscientious objection, from the debate at the Constituent Assembly (1946-1948) to the approval of the law in 1972. The research is based on a large amount of sources: institutional archives, political debates, correspondence, daily and periodical press. The author describes the slow maturation in Italy of a democratic conscience around the issues of civil liberty and peace.
Keywords: Pace, Diritti civili, Obiezione di coscienza, Politica italiana