The Istituto nazionale della previdenza sociale ('National Institute for Social Security') is the main entity of the Italian public retirement system. All waged labourers and most of self-employed, without a proper autonomous social security fund, must be subscribed to INPS. The entity is under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. Its main activity is to guarantee the public service related to social security benefits according to art. 38 of the Italian Constitution and the special laws about the mandatory social insurances. History In 1898, the Cassa nazionale di previdenza per l'invalidità e la vecchiaia degli operai ('National Fund of Social Security for Disability and Old Age of the Workers') was founded as a voluntary association integrated with a contribute by State and entrepreneurs. In 1919 it became mandatory according to the law-decree n. 603 of 21 April 1919, n. 603. The decree remained awaiting the conversion in law by the Chamber. On 5 February 1920 the decree was represented by the minister Carlo Ferraris and on the next 25 June it was represented again by the minister Arturo Labriola of Giolitti V Cabinet. It was converted only in 1923 through a decree giving law force to the provision. The entity was renamed as Cassa nazionale per le assicurazioni sociali ('National Fund for Social Insurances). The Mussolini Cabinet changed the National Fund into the Istituto nazionale fascista della previdenza sociale ('National Fascist Institute of Social Security') or INFPS. Its first president was Giuseppe Bottai, succeeded in 1935 by Bruno Biagi. Subsequent interventions made by Italian lawmakers expanded significantly the purposes of the institute to which were assigned the management of first interventions in benefit of the income already in 1939. In 1944 the institute became the Istituto nazionale della previdenza sociale, a public entity with legal personality and autonomous management. During the period 1968–1972, the Italian State introduced retirement pensions and social pensions for every citizen over 65 years and under a certain income threshold. The extraordinary wage supplementation fund and early retirement were introduced along with tax relieves for the production. In 1978 the National Healthcare Service (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) was established and INPS had been charged of collecting illness contributions and pay the related benefits. The law n. 88 of 9 March 1989 had reformed INPS and financially divided the assistance from the social security. Since the nineties various social security institutions of category, managers