It is fascinating to see how every constitutional change is made with one eye fixed firmly on the past. Arguably, the most influential politician in postwar Italy is Benito Mussolini. Even now, his ghost hangs over Italian politics like Banquo at the feast.
Indeed. Interesting take. It could be said that the US is basically a ghostocracy. Our present leaders cannot hope to have as much impact as Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Hamilton, Adams, Madison, Lincoln, and FDR still do. Modern American politicians are grave keepers at best, grave robbers at worst.
Anthony Roe
15 days ago
The ‘Italian’ state needs to wither away with a return to autonomous regions and city states.
I hear Cavour turning in his grave but maybe there is a case for undoing the Risorgimento. Certainly it would be delightful if Venice were an independent republic once again which of course it has not been since (I think )1797.
Rasmus Fogh
15 days ago
The various tinkerings with the electoral laws, from the legge truffa through the efforts of Berlusconi, Renzi, and now Meloni, were all about tilting the playing field so that the then government could kneecap the opposition and stay in power for as long as possible. Whatever problems Italy has, this kind of shenanigans are not going to solve them. To be actually useful, any changes would have to be designed by consensus to promote better government, not just the interests of the current rulers.
Jerry Carroll
15 days ago
Italy cannot be governed, that must be clear by now.
Steve Jolly
15 days ago
Sounds almost as inefficient and prone to gridlock as my own government in the US. Constructing a constitution that makes actually ruling a country as difficult as possible and distributes power broadly and irregularly enough to make it nigh impossible for a slim majority or a plurality to ever get complete unfettered control of the nation is no easy task. I admire that. Wouldn’t change a thing. You go Italy. Keep up the good work.
It is fascinating to see how every constitutional change is made with one eye fixed firmly on the past. Arguably, the most influential politician in postwar Italy is Benito Mussolini. Even now, his ghost hangs over Italian politics like Banquo at the feast.
Indeed. Interesting take. It could be said that the US is basically a ghostocracy. Our present leaders cannot hope to have as much impact as Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Hamilton, Adams, Madison, Lincoln, and FDR still do. Modern American politicians are grave keepers at best, grave robbers at worst.
The ‘Italian’ state needs to wither away with a return to autonomous regions and city states.
I hear Cavour turning in his grave but maybe there is a case for undoing the Risorgimento. Certainly it would be delightful if Venice were an independent republic once again which of course it has not been since (I think )1797.
The various tinkerings with the electoral laws, from the legge truffa through the efforts of Berlusconi, Renzi, and now Meloni, were all about tilting the playing field so that the then government could kneecap the opposition and stay in power for as long as possible. Whatever problems Italy has, this kind of shenanigans are not going to solve them. To be actually useful, any changes would have to be designed by consensus to promote better government, not just the interests of the current rulers.
Italy cannot be governed, that must be clear by now.
Sounds almost as inefficient and prone to gridlock as my own government in the US. Constructing a constitution that makes actually ruling a country as difficult as possible and distributes power broadly and irregularly enough to make it nigh impossible for a slim majority or a plurality to ever get complete unfettered control of the nation is no easy task. I admire that. Wouldn’t change a thing. You go Italy. Keep up the good work.