[WS:] That is a pretty meaningless phrase. Who are "the people"? That is why I used a simple operational criterion. As far as party politics is concerned, I am well aware of the Nazi line on this, who btw did not invent it, French republicans did. You should give more credit than that. My point was that party politics can be very reactionary, especially in English-style majoritarian democracies, and alternatives to it can be less, at least temporarily. I think it is clearly the case of Italy, where technocrats are probably less reactionary than Berlusconi and his crypto-fascist backers. But of course I did not imply that party politics should be altogether replaced with an executive committee of some sort. It really depends on individual circumstances.
Wojtek