The Ruling Class

by Gaetano Mosca

Published in 1896, the Elementi di Scienza Politica gained immediate and broad recognition as a masterpiece of political theorization following the general course set 400 years before by Machiavelli. Mosca perceived that the manner in which ruling classes renew their membership has a vital signifigance for the prosperity of nations. His conception of social forces and of the rulers who acquire the power to control them served as a theoretical foundation for Italian fascism.

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, Sociology, Nonfiction, Political Science, History, Economics

514 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Gaetano Mosca was an Italian political scientist, journalist and public servant. He is credited with developing the elite theory and the doctrine of the political class and is one of the three members constituting the Italian school of elitism together with Vilfredo Pareto and Robert Michels.

Reviews

[Adelina Altavilla]

Non conoscevo la figura di Gaetano Mosca, e da laureata in scienze politiche è stato strano: Mosca è stato recensito da Gobetti, Sturzo, Croce... Non pretendo e non potrei competere, ma questo segnala l'importanza dell'autore.
Dunque, oltre invitare i miei amici che leggeranno questa recensione, vorrei invitare tutti a scoprire la figura e la dialettica (anche se ottocentesca) di Gaetano Mosca, il primo ad aver avuto una cattedra di scienza politica in Italia.