Introduction. Government by consensus

How were political scenarios opened up by the revolutionary era navigated? This volume investigates how expertise emerged as a vital political resource in the Italian peninsula between 1789 and 1870, a time of revolution and institutional upheaval. Moving beyond the familiar categories of charisma and celebrity, it explores the political role of knowledge by focusing on places of education, media events, agents and texts. Framing Italy as a laboratory of early modern politics, this volume examines how the reworking of traditional knowledge and the rise of new forms of expertise enabled individuals to act effectively in the public sphere, influence society and navigate the shifting landscape of power, ultimately governing consensus and securing lasting authority.