Weimar or Byzantium: Two opposing approaches to the Italian party system

Abstract

Abstract. A wide variety of publications on the Italian party system can be reduced to essentially two opposite approaches. The first approach, explains the dysfunctioning of Italy's party system by analysing the practices of political elites. These are said to manipulate society by using the state as an instrument. Authors who take this approach generally neglect the impact of ideological discord and inter‐party dynamics. This approach is often related to sharp criticism of the governing parties, and a rather positive assessment of the Communist Party. By contrast, Giovanni Sartori and others who take the opposite approach underscore the importance of ideological heterogeneity and destabilizing inter‐party dynamics. Political elites are thought to react to an unstable environment. This can be used in justification of the governing parties, despite the weak performance of Italian government. Sartori's analysis of the Italian party system has been sharply criticized. Pointing out the fundamental difference between these two approaches, this article sheds some light on the roots and limitations of this criticism.