‘Disfigurations’ of Democracy? Pareto, Mosca and the Challenge of ‘Elite Theory’

Abstract Considering recent re-assessments of Pareto and Mosca, I discuss whether these thinkers’ socio-political orientations contribute to the ‘disfiguration’ democracy (in: Urbinati, Democracy disfigured: opinion, truth, people, Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 2014) or provide a resource for renewal democratic institutions. Femia (Pareto political theory, Routledge, Abingdon, 2006) presents as being in “Machiavellian tradition sceptical liberalism,” revealing liberal potential Pareto’s realist theory. Finocchiaro (Beyond right left, Yale, New Haven, London, 1999) ameliorates conservative consequences Mosca’s thought by reinterpreting him ‘democratic elitist,’ who holds conception liberty “as relationship such that authority flows from masses elites.” Highlighting significance internal tensions within each thinker’s work foregrounded readings, between causal primacy psychic states ‘mutual dependence’ social factors (Pareto), elite principle ‘balanced pluralism’ (Mosca), ask ‘sceptical liberal’ elitist’ Mosca elude Urbinati’s unpolitical, populist plebiscitarian ‘disfigurations’ democracy.