Robert Michels

Robert Michels
Robert Michels
Born	9 January 1876; Cologne, German Empire
Died	3 May 1936 (aged 60); Rome, Italy
Academic background
Influences	Le Bon; Sorel; Pareto; Mosca; Loria; Sombart; Weber;
Academic work
School or tradition	Italian school of elitism
Institutions	University of Marburg; University of Perugia; University of Turin; University of Basel;
Notable works	Political Parties (1911)
Notable ideas	Iron law of oligarchy; Moderation theory
Influenced	Bryce; Burnham; Duverger; McKenzie; Lipset; Neumann; Moldbug;
Political party	Social Democratic Party of Germany (–1907); National Fascist Party (1924–1936)

Robert Michels (German: [ˈmɪçəls]; 9 January 1876 – 3 May 1936) was a German-born Italian sociologist who contributed to elite theory by describing the political behavior of intellectual elites.

He belonged to the Italian school of elitism.^[1]^[2] He is best known for his book Political Parties, published in 1911, which contains a description of the "iron law of oligarchy."^[3]^[4]^[5] He was a friend and disciple of Max Weber, Werner Sombart and Achille Loria.

Politically, he moved from the Social Democratic Party of Germany to the Italian Socialist Party, adhering to the Italian revolutionary syndicalist wing and later to Italian Fascism, which he saw as a more democratic form of socialism. His ideas provided the basis of moderation theory which delineates the processes through which radical political groups are incorporated into the existing political system.

^ Nye, Robert A. (1977). The Anti-Democratic Sources of Elite Theory: Pareto, Mosca, Michels. London: SAGE Publications. p. 30.
^ Chambliss, J. J., ed. (2013). Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia. London: Routledge. p. 179.
^ May, John D. (1965). "Democracy, Organization, Michels". The American Political Science Review. 59 (2): 417–429. doi:10.2307/1953059. ISSN 0003-0554.
^ Hands, Gordon (1971). "Roberto Michels and the Study of Political Parties". British Journal of Political Science. 1 (2): 155–172. ISSN 0007-1234.
^ Cook, Philip J. (1971). "Robert Michels's Political Parties in Perspective". The Journal of Politics. 33 (3): 773–796. doi:10.2307/2128281. ISSN 0022-3816.

[1] Nye, Robert A. (1977). The Anti-Democratic Sources of Elite Theory: Pareto, Mosca, Michels. London: SAGE Publications. p. 30.

[2] Chambliss, J. J., ed. (2013). Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia. London: Routledge. p. 179.

[3] May, John D. (1965). "Democracy, Organization, Michels". The American Political Science Review. 59 (2): 417–429. doi:10.2307/1953059. ISSN 0003-0554.

[4] Hands, Gordon (1971). "Roberto Michels and the Study of Political Parties". British Journal of Political Science. 1 (2): 155–172. ISSN 0007-1234.

[5] Cook, Philip J. (1971). "Robert Michels's Political Parties in Perspective". The Journal of Politics. 33 (3): 773–796. doi:10.2307/2128281. ISSN 0022-3816.

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Robert Michels

Born	(1876-01-09)9 January 1876 Cologne, German Empire
Died	3 May 1936(1936-05-03) (aged 60) Rome, Italy

Academic background
Influences	Le Bon Sorel Pareto Mosca Loria Sombart Weber
Academic work
School or tradition	Italian school of elitism
Institutions	University of Marburg University of Perugia University of Turin University of Basel
Notable works	Political Parties (1911)
Notable ideas	Iron law of oligarchy Moderation theory
Influenced	Bryce Burnham Duverger McKenzie Lipset Neumann Moldbug


Political party	Social Democratic Party of Germany (–1907) National Fascist Party (1924–1936)