Where is 2008 Italy heading?

Abstract

The text asks three questions: Where is Italian society heading? Which political powers make up Italy? What contribution can Italy make to Europe? The anthropological fragility of Italian society is underlined, mentioning the hyperactivity of Italians, their resort to violence and their fear of the future. Poverty, mostly in the south of the peninsula, is also covered; as is the fact that mortgage repayment together with other expenses means that many families are broke before the end of the month. With regard to the employment market, mention is made of the “success” of the 2003 reform, which has created the figure of the “flexible” worker. In other areas, space is given to the phenomenon of immigration, insufficiency of infrastructures and the importance of football as a national sport. Today’s political crisis, partly brought on by the electoral system is described, indicating also that laic ways of thinking are being introduced. The conclusion is that politics should recover their main role: guidance of and service to society and common welfare.