Norms Under Siege: The Parallel Political Lives of Donald Trump and Silvio Berlusconi

A look at the striking similarities between Donald Trump and Silvio Berlusconi, from their business and TV backgrounds to the unprecedented way in which they broke into politics.

Both leaders introduced new language patterns, deepened the political wedge between parties, and managed to recruit a significant base of followers; should they be considered a cult, rather than political affiliation? In Norms Under Siege, Edoardo M. Fracanzani goes beyond comparisons between Trump and Berlusconi and asks what is revealed about the kind of society that would allow their rise to power.