Il «problema della democrazia» e i corpi intermedi: teoria politica e dottrina sociale della Chiesa (1961-1991)

The aim of this paper is to reflect on the special attention that the social doctrine of the Church and democratic theory give to intermediate bodies, especially between 1961 and 1991. During these years, the social encyclicals insist a great deal on the importance of the expression of human sociality through the action of intermediate bodies; at the same time, political theory stresses the indispensability of intermediate institutions for the strengthening of democracy and political representation. Recalling these moments – and their problematic implications – can also be very helpful in understanding the difficulties that threaten contemporary democracy.