About the book: 2014 / In the book of the famous Italian political philosopher, professor at Princeton University (USA) Maurizio Viroli, the idea is put forward and discussed that Italy is a country of free political institutions - became a country of servile courtiers with Silvio Berlusconi as its sovereign. Starting from the classical republican concept of freedom, Viroli shows that a people can be unfree even if they are not oppressed. This state of unfreedom arises from subjection to the arbitrary or enormous power of people like Berlusconi. The author argues that even if the power of people of this type is established legitimately and the people retain their basic rights, the mere existence of such power makes those who obey it unfree. Most Italians, imitating their elites, lack the minimum moral qualities of a free people - respect for the Constitution, a willingness to obey the laws and perform civic duty. Instead, they show such traits as servility, flattery, blind devotion to the strong, a tendency to lie, etc. The book is of interest to sociologists, political scientists, historians, philosophers, as well as a wide range of readers.