Gli ultimi scritti di Pareto su democrazia e riforma delle istituzioni

The article analyses the last works of Pareto, namely Trasformazione della democrazia and Pochi punti di un futuro ordinamento costituzionale, in which the author develops his criticism of democracy and puts forward his proposal of reforming institutions. With regard to the first point, it highlights how Pareto, on the one hand, considers the democratic ideals as derivations devoid of any real confirmation, but useful in pushing the human being to act, and, on the other hand, sheds light on the facts that are behind the term democracy. Facts which pertain to both the form and the essence of power, and that refer to the parliament power, the means at disposal of the governing elite, and the demagogic plutocracy. With regard to the second point, it focuses on both the similarities and differences between the proposal of Pareto and the transformation of the State’s institutional structure carried out under the fascist regime.