Silvio Berlusconi : television, power and patrimony

Silvio Berlusconi, a self-made man with a taste for luxurious living, owner of a huge television empire and, most recently, the man 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 dyna-mic 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 empirewith careful analysis of Berlusconi’s political development. While never forgetting the italianita of Berlusconi’s trajectory, he argues that the Italian example is highly instructive for all modern societies. What Berlusconi represents—the relationship between the media system and politics, the nature of personal dominion at a time of crisis in representative democracy, the connection between the consumer world, families and politics, and the exploitation of the wide-open spaces left by the strategic weaknesses of modern left-wing politics—are, Ginsborg suggests, near-universal. Silvio Berlusconi, head of Italy's government since 2001, has an unenviable reputation: his dubbing by The Economist as 'Burlesquoni' met with knowing approval among disdainful Europeans and Americans. None the less Paul Ginsborg, one of contemporary Italy's foremost historians, thinks that the Berlusconi phenomenon merits serious attention, and not only in Italy. While acknowledging that Berlusconi might well fail -- his record in government has so far been dismal -- he argues that many aspects of the present Italian experience reflect crucial trends in contemporary politics and mass culture. His book combines classic biographical traits -- Berlusconi's childhood in Milan during and after the Second World War, his strict religious schooling, his dynamic working life -- with acute political and social analysis. There emerges the picture of a man of insatiable appetites, bull-headed and willing to take considerable risks, deeply attuned to the dominant values and to the sophisticated communication techniques of modernity. sGinsborg illustrates brilliantly the peculiar italianita of Berlusconi's trajectory, but also argues that it illuminates many international tendencies: the personalisation of politics at a time of crisis in representative democracy, the distorted relationship between the media system and politics, the construction of dependencies by the binding of families to commercial television and the world of goods. In all this, Ginsborg suggests, Berlusconi has got as far as he has thanks to the wide-open space left by the strategic weaknesses of modern left-wing politics. "Silvio Berlusconi, head of Italy's government since 2001, has an unenviable reputation: his dubbing by The Economist as 'Burlesquoni' met with knowing approval among disdainful Europeans and Americans." "None the less Paul Ginsborg, one of contemporary Italy's foremost historians, thinks that the Berlusconi phenomenon merits serious attention, and not only in Italy. While acknowledging that Berlusconi might well fail - his record in government has so far been dismal - he argues that many aspects of the present Italian experience reflect crucial trends in contemporary politics and mass culture. His book combines classic biographical traits - Berlusconi's childhood in Milan during and after the Second World War, his strict religious schooling, his dynamic working life - with political and social analysis. There emerges the picture of a man of insatiable appetites, bull-headed and willing to take considerable risks, deeply attuned to the dominant values and to the sophisticated communication techniques of modernity." "Ginsborg illustrates the peculiar italianita of Berlusconi's trajectory, but also argues that it illuminates many international tendencies: the personalisation of politics at a time of crisis in representative democracy, the distorted relationship between the media system and politics, the construction of dependencies and the binding of families to commercial television and the world of goods. In all this, Ginsborg suggests, Berlusconi has got as far as he has thanks to the wide-open space left by the strategic weaknesses of modern left-wing politics."--Jacket Silvio Berlusconi, a self-made man with a taste for luxurious living, owner of a huge television empire and, most recently, the man 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 dyna-mic 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 empirewith careful analysis of Berlusconi’s political development.While never forgetting the__italianita__of Berlusconi’s trajectory, he argues that the Italian example is highly instructive for all modern societies. What Berlusconi represents—the relationship between the media system and politics, the nature of personal dominion at a time of crisis in representative democracy, the connection between the consumer world, families and politics, and the exploitation of the wide-open spaces left by the strategic weaknesses of modern left-wing politics—are, Ginsborg suggests, near-universal.

this Succinct And Lucid Account Is A History Of Mr. Berlusconi's Trajectory To Power And An Analysis Of How His Business Interests ... And His Privatization Ideologies Form A Coherent Project For Political And Cultural Dominance.

the New York Times - Ruth Ben-ghiat

in His Book Silvio Berlusconi: Television, Power And Patrimony Mr. Ginsborg Argues That The Unprecedented Concentration Of Power Mr. Berlusconi Enjoys Because Of His Combination Of Political And Media Control Makes Him A Distinct Threat To Italian Democracy. Mr. Ginsborg's Succinct And Lucid Account Is A History Of Mr. Berlusconi's Trajectory To Power And An Analysis Of How His Business Interests (which Include A Near-monopoly Of Commercial Television, Publishing And Advertising Empires, And Soccer Team Ownership) And His Privatization Ideologies Form A Coherent Project For Political And Cultural Dominance.

Milan, the city in which Silvio Berlusconi was born on 29 September 1936, has always occupied a special place in Italian history.