Revisiting the Origins of Democratic Quality in Italy

Frederick Solt ()

No 340, LIS Working papers from LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg

Abstract: What determines the responsiveness and effectiveness of democratic governments in meeting their citizens needs? Based on his 1993 study of the twenty Italian regions, Robert Putnam argued that civic community, a self-reinforcing syndrome of social engagement and political participation, is the explanation. A re-examination of Putnams data reveals little evidence of such a syndrome, but confirms that where more citizens participate in politics outside of networks of clientelistic exchange, more effective democratic government results. To discern the causes of variation in this self-motivated political participation, I then test Putnams measures of social engagement against aspects of Italian socio-economic structure. Economic development and the historical distribution of land, not social engagement, are found to be powerful predictors of selfmotivated political participation and in turn democratic quality.

Pages: 39 pages
Date: 2002-03
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Published in British Journal of Political Science 34, no. 1 (2004):123-135

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