Del primato morale e civile degli italiani

book by Gioberti

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

Vincenzo Gioberti's Del primato morale e civile degli italiani (On the Moral and Civil Primacy of the Italian Race), published in 1843, was a significant work that contributed to the Risorgimento, the movement for Italian unification.312

Gioberti argued for the unique moral and civil superiority of the Italian people. He proposed a federation of Italian states, led by the pope, as a practical way to achieve unification and advance Italian civilization. This idea, known as Neo-Guelphism, gained considerable attention at the time. The book was influential in shaping political thought during the period leading up to the formation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.312

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Vincenzo Gioberti
…In his most celebrated work, Del primato morale e civile degli italiani (1843; “On the Moral and Civil Primacy of the Italian Race”), he sought to present practical methods of realizing his political ideals. Asserting the value of the unique contribution that federated Italians might make to world civilization, he…
Read More
…In his most celebrated work, Del primato morale e civile degli italiani (1843; “On the Moral and Civil Primacy of the Italian Race”), he sought to present practical methods of realizing his political ideals. Asserting the value of the unique contribution that federated Italians might make to world civilization, he…
Read More

Guelf and Ghibelline
Revival in the 19th century
(Vincenzo Gioberti’s Del primato morale e civile degli italiani [“On the Moral and Civil Primacy of the Italians”], published in 1843, was the classic expression of this attitude.) Their opponents, the Neo-Ghibellines, saw the pope as a barrier to the development of Italian unity.
Read More
(Vincenzo Gioberti’s Del primato morale e civile degli italiani [“On the Moral and Civil Primacy of the Italians”], published in 1843, was the classic expression of this attitude.) Their opponents, the Neo-Ghibellines, saw the pope as a barrier to the development of Italian unity.
Read More

Italy
The rebellions of 1831 and their aftermath
His Del primato morale e civile degli Italiani (1843; “On the Moral and Civil Primacy of Italians”) affirmed the idea of progress as the return of the material to the spiritual, of man to God. Because such progress could be realized only through the mediation of…
Read More
His Del primato morale e civile degli Italiani (1843; “On the Moral and Civil Primacy of Italians”) affirmed the idea of progress as the return of the material to the spiritual, of man to God. Because such progress could be realized only through the mediation of…
Read More