1. Democracy and Political elites
Luca Verzichelli / Alessandro Chiaramonte
Comparative Political Institutions
Academic year

2. Old and new Elitism Mosca [1896] and the idea of the Ruling class
Pareto [1916] and the dynamics of the Elite circulation
Michels [1911] and the iron law of oligarchy
Weber and Shumpeter are also considered classic elitists although their notion of elite is already “contemporary”.
The debate in North America between pluralists and elitists and most of the behaviouralist scholars are inspired by the European tehory of elites
Even a “neo-marxist elitism”?
A new paradigm? Robert Putnam [1976] claims for a comparative and empirical approach. Later, Higley and Field propose a new theoretical perspective based on “new elitism”

3. Elites and the question of democratic transformation
New elitist approach built on Shumpeter and Lasswell
(Sartori, the theory of democracy revisited, 1987)
Different focus on elite theory from the studies of democratic dynamics
(Huntington, the Third wave, 1991 vs. Przeworski and others)
Focus on policy outcomes and transformation of policy communities
(different approaches)
Cultural and historical path dependencies
(Putnam, making democracy works, 1993, Bowling alone, 2000)
Elite centred theories not mentioning elites:
- Actor-centred institutionalism
- Rational choice institutionalism

4. Persistent emphasis on elites’ role … … but with some variations
Elites should rule. But they are differently responsible and differently stratifies (experts, networks, interactions …). Citizens choose between elite proposals but by means of different democratic tools. Result should be an efficient government but with new system of control over elite’s action. Politics is still too (or even more) complex for average citizens. But we should avoid apathy

5. Redefining all the representative institutions Challenges to elites or other?
Reintroducing the argument of the decline of representative institutions (quest for participatoy democracy and deliberative democracy)
Decline of party-democracy and emphasis on public opinion (Manin)
Counter-democracy and new social pluralism (Rosanvallon)
Still a relevant role of representative institution but challenges from social complexity, immigration, etc.

6. Putnam’s lesson: bridging long term elite transformation to macro-explanations
A classic picture of long term parliamentary elite change: the decline of nobility and the rise of party professionals (Cotta and Best 2007)

7. Leader democracy (Koroseny 2005)

8. Patterns of legislative turnover. Matland and Studlar [2004]
Type of exit
Cause of Exit
Independent variable
Involuntary
De-Selection
El. system: party strategy on replacing incumbents
Inter-party electoral defeat
El. system: personal vote
Frequency of elections
Intraparty electoral defeat
Threat of losing to fellow party member
Intra/inter party electoral defeat
El. system: double listing of candidates
Electoral defeat
Electoral volatility
Failure to be re-nominated
Party ideology
Voluntary
Pursue private career
Cost of staying
Desire to retire
Frequency of election
Dissatisfaction with being a legislator
Pleasure & power
Many of the hypotheses are confirmed.
Electoral volatility and party system changes remain the most relevant factors of legislative turnover, but a set of institutional factors stemming from the design of electoral institutions is also important.
Party ideology is less and less relevant

9. The quest for internal party democracy Hazan and Rahat [2010] (ch. 10)
Crucial question: Which candidate selection method better serves democracy?
Democracy should be understood and achieved in terms of both intraparty selection and interparty election. However, there is no single method serving all the crucial democratic goals (enforcing participation, producing democratic outputs, providing governmental power and party strength) .
A possible selection method: three different selectorates, using moderate requirements for candidacy, and allowing the national center a say in candidate selection.
Party democracy not as just participation:
Participation can help the party to find the best and most competitive candidate.

10. Sociology of legislatures [Best & Vogel 2015]
Institutional socialisation
Recruitment
Representative focus
Representative roles
Crisis of parliaments?