In Libreria
Sinossi
Le tesi elaborate in questo libro ormai classico non hanno mai smesso di suscitare interesse, ben oltre i confini dell'accademia. L'espressione "familismo amorale", coniata da Banfield per spiegare l'arretratezza, o meglio la mancanza di reazione all'arretratezza, di Montegrano (dietro cui si nasconde Chiaromonte, in Basilicata, alla metà degli anni '50), è diventata di uso corrente per etichettare una molteplicità di fenomeni, ma soprattutto per individuare un presunto "difetto" fondamentale della società italiana. Avverso allo spirito di comunità, disposto a cooperare solo in vista di un proprio tornaconto, il familista amorale si comporta secondo la seguente "regola aurea": massimizzare i vantaggi materiali e immediati della famiglia nucleare, supporre che tutti gli altri agiscano allo stesso modo. Una chiave interpretativa assai discussa, che si è dimostrata tuttavia di irriducibile efficacia nell'indicare i guasti provocati dalla cronica carenza di senso civico, come sottolinea l'importante introduzione di Arnaldo Bagnasco a questa riedizione del volume.
- ISBN:
- Casa Editrice:
- Pagine: 194
- Data di uscita: 14-01-2010
Recensioni
At first I wasn't sure about reading a book describing the problems challenging the democratic process of small towns in Southern Italy in the 1950s. But the more I delved in this book, the more similarities I could observe with the problems challenging the democratic process of my country: Malta. T Leggi tutto
This is an ethnography of a small town in Southern Italy in the 1950s by an American political scientist. In the book, the town is given the fictitious name of "Montegrano", but Wikipedia tells me that it's really Chiaromonte. The author spent a year living there interviewing the locals. The society Leggi tutto
The first thing that struck me about the Southern Italian villagers who were the subject matter of this book was the similarity of their ethos to that of the village Iranians with whom I was reared. From experience, the authors' observation that "ancient" Indo-European people (as the book refers to
At its most simple it a fascinating look into the culture and people of a small remote Italian village. At its best its an engaging look into how cultural factors can exacerbate and ingrain poverty as well as what a socially disintegrated society looks like. Likewise it can be a bit chilling to see
Study of the poverty of 1950s southern Italy. Banfield attributes this to "amoral familialism" -- the inability of individuals to act for any purpose between the narrowly-defined self-interest of the family. Convincing in parts, but spectacularly refuted by subsequent events. Banfield suggests this
The ethos of amoral familism described in the book is one familiar to many outside the rural villages of the Italian south in the 50s. Banfield's observations, despite done from a sometimes overly capitalistic and industrial viewpoint, serve as great discussion of such a culture, and an interesting
Especially interesting for those who study Post-Soviet space. Peasants` general perception of the world described by Edward C. Banfield (except responsibility towards family) is typical worldview of the inhabitants there.
Very useful for understanding Malta in 2017, and a great follow up for those who have read Jeremy Boissevain's Saints and Fireworks.
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