Thesis title: Potere e classi sociali oggi: Una teoria neomarxista integrata dello sfruttamento e delle classi sociali per l’analisi della struttura e delle diseguaglianze di classe nell’Italia contemporanea in prospettiva europea (1992-2020)
This work presents an integrated neo-Marxist theory of exploitation and social classes, aimed at analyzing class structure and class-based inequalities in contemporary Italy (1992–2020) within a broader European perspective. The first chapter offers a historical and analytical overview of the main Marxist theories and models that form the foundation of the theoretical framework developed in the following chapters. The analysis highlights the originality and continued relevance of the heterodox Marxist tradition in the social sciences, drawing from contributions spanning over a century and a half.
After revisiting Marx and Engels’ original theory of class, the discussion focuses on key theoretical innovations introduced during both the classical Marxist period and particularly the post-World War II neo-Marxist debates. The proposed theory seeks to integrate two major strands of Marxist thought – one focused on class analysis and one more external to it – while also incorporating insights from non-Marxist sociology. This results in the original, integrated approach to Marxist social theory presented in the subsequent chapters.
The second and third chapters develop this theory in detail. The framework is built through a micro-foundational strategy: elementary social concepts are used to derive more complex ones, such as those related to social domination, institutional spheres (economic, political, cultural), and ultimately, exploitation. Exploitation is defined as the unilateral capacity of certain social groups to structure cooperation to their advantage. From this, a definition of social class is derived, based on how different groups acquire and exercise the capacity to exploit other social classes. The theory offers both a causal explanation of social inequality and a systematic class schema suited for empirical application.
The subsequent chapters apply this framework to an empirical analysis of Italy’s class structure in European perspective. The research outlines key questions, data sources, and operationalization strategies – particularly the construction of indicators such as the Occupational Welfare Index and the Occupational Closure Index. The analysis reveals substantial changes over the past three decades in the class composition of contemporary Italy. Empirical findings challenge dominant narratives that have downplayed the relevance of class analysis in Europe and reaffirm the explanatory power of a Marxist approach. The final chapters focus on class-based inequalities in income and occupational welfare, demonstrating that social class remains a strong predictor of both consumption- and production-related inequalities.
The concluding chapter reflects on the usefulness of a Marxist, though theoretically pluralist, framework for understanding the dynamics of inequality in contemporary societies, and suggests directions for further research.