Hindu Politics in Italian

Italian Indologists have long engaged with India’s social and political thought, and this survey introduces several of their works. Salvatore Cognetti de Martiis’ ‘Socialismo Antico’ compares economic systems across ancient cultures and sees in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa a doctrine of primitive socialism, where property and power were periodically redistributed by a universal monarch. He also interprets the Sermon on the Mount and Buddhist ethics as socialism avant la lettre. Other authors, such as Giovanni Vallauri, explore the democratic features of Hindu sects like the Rāmānandīs, highlighting their rejection of caste distinctions and emphasis on collective devotion. Carlo Formichi’s essays on Kālidāsa and Bhartṛhari identify political allegories in classical poetry, while Pizzagalli translates Kautilya’s Arthaśāstra and reflects on its relevance for modern statecraft. The article situates these works within the broader trend of Italian scholars applying European political categories—socialism, communism, democracy—to interpret Hindu texts. It acknowledges that such readings sometimes impose foreign frameworks but notes that they also draw attention to overlooked egalitarian and communal aspects of Bhakti movements. By surveying these publications, the author demonstrates the growing international interest in India’s political heritage and calls for more nuanced cross‑cultural scholarship that respects indigenous categories.

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