The study engages one of the central problems of the social and political history of the Italian risorgimento. What explanation is there for the massive participation of the aristocracy in Italy's moderate-liberal national movement up to 1861? A case study centering on the Tuscan aristocracy demonstrates that for the aristocracy the moderate liberalism of the risorgimento was a political movement opposing the modern administrative state. Given this fact, their support for it was aimed at the reestablishment of positions of power for the aristocracy and not at the foundation of an Italian nation state.