UN APPROCCIO SOCIOLOGICO AL METODO STORICO-COMPARATIVO: LA CLASSE POLITICA DI GAETANO MOSCA

Gaetano Mosca’s perspective on the historical-comparative method aims at elucidating the connection between the historical and the comparative aspects. When employed correctly and distinguished from the historiographical investigation, this method is relevant in acquiring knowledge on phenomena, and a valuable tool for fostering interdisciplinary dialogue. The subsequent section of the review delves into an analysis of Mosca’s seminal work The Political Class, in which he formulates the concept of political formula and social type, to shed light on the methodology, offering insights into his approach to comprehending the birth and decline of states through a comparative examination of historical facts. In the conclusions, the review adopts a critical stance on Mosca’s use of a historical-comparative method which, even with great interest in his observations, should be grounded in establishing accurate and transparent parameters.