ABSTRACT
This book does not pretend to be able to answer these dominant questions directly. This is a study of how public policy is made in Italy, and about the practical results of these processes in some key policy areas. Nevertheless, the picture which it builds up may assist readers in answering the dominant questions, and perhaps even in questioning the terms of the questions. The structure of the work assumes that the reader will not necessarily be familiar either with modern Italian politics or with its historical and cultural background. This chapter therefore begins by discussing the various ways in which Italian politics is commonly analysed and then introduces the main arguments of the book. The chapters which immediately follow describe the historical development of the Italian state, its constitutional and administrative structure, and the operations of the political parties. The second section of the book provides an explanatory framework and develops the arguments with particular reference to specific areas of policy.
