A short history
Battle of Molinella.
Molinella is famous for the Battle of Molinella (also known as the Ricciardina) which took place in 1467 (forces from Venice and Ferrara against an alliance between Florence and Milan).
Federigo da Montefeltro was named commander of the league army against Venice. The League included Florence, Naples and Milan, which sent sizable forces.
Federigo won the Battle of Molinella against Bartolomeo Colleoni, commander of Venetian troops.
The struggle of workers in Molinella.
From 1880 to 1890 a wave of struggles gave rise to the first workers' associations and organizations, with a founding of the Socialist Party in 1892.
Agricultural strikes were fought by the poorest and largest peasant class, the landless day labourers (braccianti).
The first strike of the women rice-workers took place at Molinella in 1883, with the demand for a small wage increase.
The 1897 Molinella strike organized by the socialist braccianti leagues was the only successful one of the 1890s, the rest of which failed as a result of police and military repression, the persecution of union leaders and the closure of socialist associations. Strikes broke out again in March 1898 when the employers refused to recognize the validity of the 1897 agreement and fixed lower wage rates for rice harvesters without consulting the braccianti organizations first.
Repression intensified in Molinella and other areas of the province, as a state of nationwide anti-government protest reached Bologna, protest that had been brewing since the start of the year but which reached its climax in May 1898 as a result of the effects of an economic recession which had pushed up food prices.
Approximately 250 arrests were carried out throughout the province for various crimes against the state of which 143 in Molinella. Molinella's socialist leaders were arrested or sought after by the police for their alleged role in encouraging demonstrations.
The cooperative system.
Salvemini cited as a specimen the commune of Molinella:
"All Italy knew what a wonderful system of co-operative living had been developed there during 30years under socialist leadership. This commune of 15,000 inhabitants had an Agricultural Cooperative owning a vast area of farm land, and a Consumers' Cooperative with a great store and seven branches, which supplied everything the place needed. The farm laborers were all organized on their own labor exchange, their wages were the best anywhere".