Silvio Berlusconi: Television, Power And Patrimony - Softcover

Ginsborg, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844675416 ISBN 13: 9781844675418

Publisher: Verso, 2005

Synopsis

Silvio Berlusconi, a self-made man with a taste for luxurious living, owner of a huge television empire and the politician who likened a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp guard--small wonder that much of democratic Europe and America has responded with considerable dismay and disdain to his governance of Italy. Paul Ginsborg, contemporary Italy's foremost historian, explains here why we should take Berlusconi seriously. His new book combines historical narrative-Berlusconi's childhood in the dynamic and paternalist Milanese bourgeoisie, his strict religious schooling, a working life which has encompassed crooning, large construction projects and the creation of a commercial television empire-with careful analysis of Berlusconi's political development. While highlighting the particular italianita of Berlusconi's trajectory, Ginsborg also finds international tendencies, such as the distorted relationship between the media system and politics. Throughout, Ginsborg suggests that Berlusconi has gotten as far as he has thanks to the wide-open space left by the strategic weaknesses of modern left-wing politics.

About this title

Review:

A rich, dense portrait of Italian society, economy and politics during the past twenty years.

Ginsborg ssober, thoughtful book will be of value not only to anyone interestedin Italy but to anyone interested in how populist politics, money, andcontrol of the mass media s reservoir of fantasy can combine tooverride the democratic process.

Damning ... Ginsborg shows how Berlusconi's combination of anti-political populism and media power makes him a real threat to democracy.

A compelling hatchet job ... Admirable precision and succinctness.

A succinct and lucid account.

Carefully researched ... a notable contribution.

Penetrating and disquieting ... A masterly study by the leading British historian of contemporary Italy.

Succinct and lucid ... this small book has a large agenda: to show what in contemporary Italian culture produced and promoted Berlusconi, as entrepreneur and prime minister, and what might be done to hasten his political end.

Ginsborg s sober, thoughtful book will be of value not only to anyone interested in Italy but to anyone interested in how populist politics, money, and control of the mass media s reservoir of fantasy can combine to override the democratic process.

"Succinct and lucid ... this small book has a large agenda: to show what in contemporary Italian culture produced and promoted Berlusconi, as entrepreneur and prime minister, and what might be done to hasten his political end."--"International Herald Tribune"

"Carefully researched ... a notable contribution."--"Financial Times"

"Damning ... Ginsborg shows how Berlusconi's combination of anti-political populism and media power makes him a real threat to democracy."--"Independent"

"Ginsborg's sober, thoughtful book will be of value not only to anyone interested in Italy but to anyone interested in how populist politics, money, and control of the mass media's reservoir of fantasy can combine to override the democratic process."--"The Nation"

"A succinct and lucid account."--"New York Times"

"Penetrating and disquieting ... A masterly study by the leading British historian of contemporary Italy."--"Times Literary Supplement"

"A compelling hatchet job ... Admirable precision and succinctness."--"Sunday Times"

Synopsis:

Silvio Berlusconi's personal conduct lends itself easily to lampooning, but his reliance on force of personality and media savvy alongside a laissez-faire political stance adds up to a corrosive combination with far-reaching consequences for the future of Italian democratic politics. This edition presents his biography.

About this edition

• Publisher: Verso
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1844675416
• ISBN 13: 9781844675418
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 214