Leggere Mortati a Menlo Park. Le piattaforme digitali come espressione contemporanea del patrimonialismo

This contribution addresses the issue of the relationship between users and large online platforms, considering the latter as patrimonial legal orders. After clarifying this concept, drawing on the reflections of Max Weber and other scholars, the paper will deal with the profiles of analogy with the current experience of major digital operators. Particularly, the focus will be on aspects related to content ownership, freedom of expression and dispute resolution. Finally, a further topic will be the relationship between this model and the essential features of statehood, both in the case of liberal democratic countries and authoritarian regimes.

Sommario: 1. Piattaforme digitali e forma di Stato: per un’euristica attraverso il contrasto. – 2. Il patrimonialismo: una forma ancora attuale di legittimazione e organizzazione del potere. – 3. Le piattaforme come espressione di un ordinamento a regime patrimoniale. – 4. Ordinamenti (digitali) patrimoniali e ordinamenti (statuali) burocraticorazionali: una dialettica difficile.