Elitism and Marxism: Theoretical Intersections between the Italian School and Gramscian Analysis

This paper aims to analyze the points of contact and divergences between the classical elitist authors of the "Italian School"—Gaetano Mosca, Vilfredo Pareto, and Roberto Michels—and the concepts developed by Antonio Gramsci in his Prison Notebooks. In analyzing power dynamics, its exercise, and its distribution within society, elitist theory posits the existence of a relatively homogeneous and cohesive "power minority" that dominates over a disorganized majority (Mosca 1923) (Pareto 1916). Despite a fundamental conceptual divide between elitism and Marxism in their interpretations of social systems, both perspectives share a common view of an unequal society where a small minority holds state control, representing the most evident point of contact between the two. According to elitist theory, the assertion of a dominant, organized minority as a constant trait of human societies seems to challenge the core principles of democracy. It is essential to note that democratic ideals—such as the popular will and majority rule—are seen more as symbolic assumptions than as tangible realities in the functioning of human institutions. This is due to the democratic myth of mass participation serves merely as a selection mechanism for elites in a perpetually dominant oligarchy (Michels 1966). Gramsci, operating in a society undergoing massification and transition, offers a new interpretation of the role of the party, intellectuals, culture, and the state, viewing them as crucial elements for political struggle and revolution. In this context, Gramsci's rethinking of the democratic structure of society lays the groundwork for a re-examination of Marxian dialectics (Lenin 1970), not only in relation to class struggle but also in recognizing the increased importance of the superstructure over the economic base. This shift gives prominence to the concept of political and cultural hegemony and the role of the organic intellectual in transforming society (Gramsci 1975).