New Books in Intellectual History Natasha Piano, "Democratic Elitism: The Founding Myth of American Political Science" (Harvard UP, 2025)
Nov 1, 2025
Natasha Piano, Assistant Professor of Political Theory at UCLA and author of *Democratic Elitism*, dives deep into the Italian School of Elitism. She argues that competitive elections can disillusion the public rather than ensure democracy. Piano explores the ideas of Pareto, Mosca, and Michels, emphasizing their critiques of elite corruption and the need for accountability beyond just electoral participation. She advocates for a revival of democratic values to combat plutocracy and reframe our understanding of democracy as more than just elections.
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Elections Are Necessary But Not Sufficient
- The Italian School argued elections alone cannot secure democracy because they enable plutocratic capture and elite domination.
- They insisted democracy requires institutions and norms beyond voting to check wealth and preserve popular legitimacy.
Pareto’s Warning About Plutocratic Capture
- Pareto warned that electoral systems structurally facilitate elite alliances and plutocratic corruption rather than merely condemning the masses.
- He urged democratic constraints on elites to prevent plutocratic capture and preserve liberal representative government.
Elite Circulation As A River
- Pareto's 'elite circulation' metaphor describes elites as a flowing river that must renew from popular sources to remain legitimate.
- Stability depends on elites responding to majoritarian needs or being replaced when disconnected.
