---

From the outset, Silvio Berlusconi´s career was expected to be short, and he has been considered finished several times, only to have reemerged victorious. This fascinating political and historical study shows that Berlusconi´s success and resilience have lain in his ability to provide answers to longstanding questions in Italian history.

---

1. The "Italian Question" 2. The Antifascist Republic 3. Berlusconism 4. The Berlusconian Elector 5. The Evolution of Berlusconism 6. Epilogue: The Fly in the Bottle

---

Giovanni Orsina is Associate Professor in Contemporary History and Deputy Director of the School of Government, Luiss-Guido Carli University, Rome, Italy.

---