Children's Web magazine...
Entertaining , Educational, Fun,Informative and MORE

A notable example of cultural antiparty sentiments is in Italy where four decades of political instability, electoral corruption and affiliations with the mafia on behalf of politicians has left a sense of abomination towards political parties themselves. Scholars have distinguished two dimensions of anti-party behaviour which possess diverse roots and produce divergent consequences: reactive anti-partyism and cultural anti-partyism. Reactive anti-partyism is when citizens actively show their dissatisfaction and discontent with parties after they did not uphold their policies. It is this form of anti-partyism which is present in the UK and rises frequently due to promises not maintained or hasty decisions made by the leading party. In contrast to the decline in parties due to the party in power’s decisions, cultural anti-partyism is embedded within the social background of a nation’s perception of parties. This means that countries that are left scared after long periods of dictatorship, political corruption or any other negative features that can damage the political system are more likely to abstain from voting or participating in party politics. Italy has been experiencing a severe case of anti-partyism for decades so when a new, cool and smooth movement rose it grabbed the attention of the Italian citizens, in particular the youth, that were tired of the Italian case of political stagnation.

 The pinnacle of public dissent in Italy was manifested by the rise of the Five Star Movement, an apolitical party led by former comedian Beppe Grillo. Beppe Grillo created a radical ‘political tsunami’ as he set out to denounce current parties and the politicians themselves, labelling them as Italy’s failure. If elected Mr Beppe Grillo would not be able to actually become a member of parliament given his criminal record, due to a car accident involving the death of three citizens, his own political persona played a formidable role in ensuring votes and party support. Nonetheless without Beppe Grillo there would be no movement, he is the face of the party’s policies. In this sense party rhetoric and the manner in which a politician presents him or herself is of fundamental importance to distorting party imagine and dictating how the public will vote. After four months of Grillo’s ‘Tsunami tour’ campaigning against corruption, Pope Benedict XVI’s hasty decision to step down, political instability due to an unreachable party majority and Italy’s economic abyss many citizens were reaching a phase of political disillusionment so apparent that during Beppe’s appearance in Milan the crowd was yelling ‘Send them home! Send them home’ in reference to members of parliament*. Their discontent was made evident in the 2013 general elections when the Five Star Movement gained 29.5% of votes, becoming the third biggest party in Italy. It would therefore appear that whilst traditional established parties are in decline, new extremist parties that are the product of anti-political sentiments are indeed on the rise. According to political scientist Roberto D’Alimonte, Mr. Grillo is a ‘uniquely Italian invention’, yet ‘anti-politics’ is currently a widespread phenomenon in other European countries. Accusations of corruption within parties, cases of fraud and dishonest members are all factors which pervert and challenge the traditional outlook on parties making them resemble single men on an eternal quest and scramble for power. Marx Weber (1922) coined the concept of ‘charismatic leadership’, a political leader whom gains prominence within the party and whose power relies on the public’s recognition. Whether or not we agree with the drastic policies of Beppe Grillo he is definitely a charismatic leader that has influenced future elections in Italy worrisomely.

*Read this New York Times article for more information: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/22/world/europe/success-of-five-star-movement-shows-italys-anger.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Image: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/2/26/1361891990675/People-react-as-Five-Star-008.jpg