Abstract

The essay reminds the "virtues" of social concertation as an informal instrument which stays alongside the typical ones of the participating subjects: social partners and government. The author stresses its role also as an alternative to political strike, mainly because it can lead to positive outcomes. As regards the uncertainty - expressed by social and legal literature - about concertation procedures, the author stresses that it can be considered in any case a resource - both for unions and government - capable of strengthening democratic participation. This is exactly the difference from the s.c. "social dialogue", as proposed by the present Italian government, which considers the consensus of the most representative Italian union as a non necessary possibility.