Question about Italian politics

[Astrocyte]

Disclaimer: I am an American, and the large majority of my news about Italy comes from British sources -- the BBC News website, and The Economist. Please forgive my questions if they are ignorant.

My question, for anyone who knows more about Italian politics than I do: How does Silvio Berlusconi stay in office?

Do most Italians like him? If they don't, are the other choices so bad that he looks good by comparison?

Does his business holdings allow him to influence what the media says about him?

And the British media seem to think that he talks about Communists a lot. Does he?

[The_Mormegil]

Well, I'm Italian and I still want some of these questions answered too. I will try my best to describe the situation.

My question, for anyone who knows more about Italian politics than I do: How does Silvio Berlusconi stay in office?

Silvio Berlusconi entered italian politics in 1992, saying that he was the new man that would change italian politics for the better. He was a "brilliant and successful businessman" that claimed to have at heart the situation of the italians. He said: "I don't need to enter politics, as I'm already powerful, rich beyond comparison and I have all I would ever want from my life. I'm doing this for italians."
At the time, he possessed three major television channels (in Italy there were 6 main channels: 3 Mediaset channels and 3 Rai channels. Rai is the public television, depending on the State, while Mediaset is private. Recently, a seventh channel - the only opposing one nowadays apart from pay tv - has become more and more famous, but that's another story). He used these three channels to publicize and impose himself and his persona. He has an incredible knack for propaganda, and made an awesome work: after all, he is a seller. That was his work before entering politics, that's what he still does in politics.
One thing to note is that he publicly made "a contract with the Italians", making some promises and saying that if in five years he didn't abide, he would retreat from politics forever. A contract is a contract, it has an appeal, and this buisnessman was so successful he would surely make Italy a better place, or so people thought.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Italy was just exiting its First Republic. You probably don't know what that mean: suffice to say that in the end of the '80s there was a scandal, kind of an italian Watergate, only that it was based on corruption. There are many things to be said on "Mani Pulite" (Clean Hands), but the result was that the old political class was discredited completely, being as corrupted as the court of a Roman Emperor. One of the main figures of this corrupted system was Bettino Craxi (Berlusconi was processed for illecit financial help to Craxi, but thanks to the laws his government made that process could not come to an end and was stopped), who was inside or political Left (we call Left and Right the two main divisions inside politics... it's kinda like democrats and republicans).
Berlusconi was elected regularly, due to his outstanding propaganda and to the ineffectiveness of the Left opposition (there's a famous video of the time, where in a talk Berlusconi keeps saying bad things about the Communists and the Left, and his opponent doesn't answer and ultimately says he's right; the people watching this show then explode shouting at Berlusconi's opponent).

There starts Berlusconi's political trip.
Fast forward. We're 19 years later. He was in charge for most of this time, as Left governments (there were two) crumbled to dust due to internal discrepancies and political pressures.
He's still there. Let's try to wonder why.

Do most Italians like him? If they don't, are the other choices so bad that he looks good by comparison?

This is a strong part of his political influence.
For starters, yes, many italians like him. If I was to make a rough estimate, I think 1/3 of italians like him. They like having a legendary figure as a representative. They like having a man in charge that is all about sex and money and imposes his "culture" on all his televisions, through trash-programs and all that. They like having a man that isn't bound by the law, that can do whatever he wants and he pleases "just because he's a winner". They like to have an image of what THEY want to be in charge. It allows them to be like him in their little. We have lots of italians who think like this. "If even Berlusconi cannot do whatever he pleases, how can I possibly do whatever I please?"
Another 20% of people believe that the opposition we have is worse. This is partly because his propaganda has attacked continuously on all televisions for the past 20 years all "Communists" (the word, in italian politics, has become an equivalent of "anti-Berlusconian", because everybody that doesn't think like Berlusconi is accused of being a communist and eating children, no joking). Partly, though, the italian Left is in a situation of deep crisis. This is material for a further study, and lots has been said about it in the past, lots is being said in the present and possibly even more will be said in the future. The main accusation our Left is facing though is being inefficient and separated in its inside structure between a LOT of different positions. Of course, being a hierarchical structure, the Right doesn't have such issues.

Does his business holdings allow him to influence what the media says about him?

I think this is not completely clear. Let's expand this point a bit further.
Berlusconi owns:
2 LIBRI S.P.A. EDITORIA
A. ME. R. SRL - MILANO PUBBLICITA’
ACI MONDADORI S.R.L. EDITORIA
ACTION GROUP EDITORIA
AD EDITORIA
AGENZIA LOMBARDA DISTR. GIORNALI E RIVISTE S.R.L. 50% EDITORIA
ALBA SERVIZI AEROTRASPORTI - MI SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
ALBACOM (TELEFONIA FISSA E INTERNET) TELEFONIA
ALIGHIERI SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
AMATORI RUGBY MILANO MEDIOLANUM SRL - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
AMBROSIANA VITA SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
AME PUBLISHING LTD EDITORIA
ANFRI IMMOBILIARE SRL - SEGRATE (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
ARAM SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
ARNOLDO MONDADORI DEUTSCHLAND GMBH EDITORIA
ARNOWEB S.A. EDITORIA
ARTES GRAFICAS TOLEDO S.A. EDITORIA
ASSOFIN SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
ATHENA FINANZIARIA S.R.L. EDITORIA
AUDITEL SRL - MILANO TELEVISIONE
AUTO OGGI EDITORIA
AUTOMOBILE CLUB EDITORIA
BAMBI EDITORIA
BANCA ASSICURAZIONE PRODOTTI FINANZIARI ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
BANCA FINANZA GIORNALE ASSICURAZIONI EDITORIA
BANCA MEDIOLANUM SPA - MILANO 3 BASIGLIO (MI) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
BLOCKBUSTER CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
BLU TELEFONIA
BOL BOOKS ON LINE S.P.A. EDITORIA
BONOMI E PAGANI - BOPA SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
BROKERS FIVE SRL - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
BULL LTD - BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
CALCIO 2000 EDITORIA
CANALE 5 MUSIC SRL - MILANO TELEVISIONE
CANTIERI RIUNITI MILANESI SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
CASA EDITRICE FELICE LE MONNIER S.P.A. EDITORIA
CASA EDITRICE POSEIDONA S.R.L. EDITORIA
CASA FACILE EDITORIA
CASA IDEA EDITORIA
CASA VIVA EDITORIA
CASABELLA - ALMANACCO ARCHITETTURA EDITORIA
CEMIT INTERACTIVE MEDIA S.P.A. EDITORIA
CENTRO COMMERCIALE MILANO 3 SRL - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
CHI EDITORIA
CIAK EDITORIA
CINEMA 5 GESTIONE SPA - ROMA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
CINEMA 5 SPA - ROMA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
CIP & CIOP EDITORIA
COLORA DISNEY EDITORIA
COLORA WINNI THE POOH EDITORIA
CONDE’ NEST EDITORIA
CONFIDENZE EDITORIA
CONSORTIUM SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
CONSORZIO AEROMOBILI FININVEST (CAFIN) - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
CONSORZIO ELICOTTERI FININVEST (CEFIN) - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
COSMOPOLITAN EDITORIA
CREARE CON CASAVIVA EDITORIA
CUCINA MODERNA EDITORIA
DANIA FILM SRL - ROMA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
DELTA SRL - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
DISNEY ENIGMISTICA EDITORIA
DISTRIB. EXCL. GRIJALBO S.A. (COLOMBIA) EDITORIA
DONNA IN FORMA EDITORIA
DONNA MODERNA EDITORIA
E. I.S. SRL - SESTO SAN GIOVANNI (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
E.BIS MEDIA S.R.L. EDITORIA
E.I.S. PROGETTI SRL - SESTO SAN GIOVANNI (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
E.I.S. ROMA SRL - SESTO SAN GIOVANNI (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
ED. E FINANZIARIA LE MONNIER S.P.A. EDITORIA
EDICIONES MUSICALES CINCO S.A. - MADRID TELEVISIONE
EDILNORD 2000 SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
EDITORIAL GRIJALBO S.A. (CILE) EDITORIA
EDITORIAL GRIJALBO S.A. (MESSICO) EDITORIA
EDITRICE PENTA SRL - MILANO EDITORIA
EDITRICE PORTORIA S.P.A. EDITORIA
EDIZIONI DI COMUNITA’ S.R.L. EDITORIA
EDIZIONI EL S.R.L. EDITORIA
EDIZIONI ELECTA BRUNO MONDADORI S.R.L. EDITORIA
EDIZIONI FRASSINELLI S.R.L. EDITORIA
EGEO ’82 SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
EINAUDI EDITORE EDITORIA
ELECTA NAPOLI EDITORIA
ELEMOND EDITORIA
ELEMOND S.P.A. EDITORIA
ELETTRONICA INDUSTRIALE SPA - LISSONE (MI) TELEVISIONE
ESERCIZIO SCHERMI ITALIANI SRL - ROMA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
ESPANSIONE EDITORIA
ESSELUNGA GRANDE DISTRIBUZIONE
ESSETICI SRL (SERVIZI TEATRALI E CINEMATOGRAF. SRL) - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
EUROLOTERIE GIBILTAR LTD - GIBILTERRA SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
EUROLOTERIE S. A. - LUSSEMBURGO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
EUROMOBILIARE SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
EUROPA AGENCY LTD - MALTA SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
EUROPA INVEST S. A. - LUSSEMBURGO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
EUROPE 5 S. A. - PARIGI TELEVISIONE
EUROPE 5 S. A. IN LIQUIDAZIONE - PARIGI TELEVISIONE
EUROSET (TELEVISIONE/KIRCH MEDIA) TELEVISIONE
FIBANK INVERSIONES S.A. - (BARCELLONA) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
FIED SPA - MILANO EDITORIA
FINEDIM ITALIA SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FINGROSS SRL - FINANZIARIA GROSSISTI DI PARTECIPAZIONI - ROMA SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FININTEL SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FININVEST COMUNICAZIONI SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FININVEST FIDUCIARIA SPA - SEGRATE (MI) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
FININVEST ITALIA SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
FININVEST LTD - LONDRA TELEVISIONE
FININVEST SERVICE S. A. - MASSAGNO - SVIZZERA SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FININVEST SERVIZI SPA - SEGRATE (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FINMEDIA SRL - MILANO TELEVISIONE
FINSIMAC SPA - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
FIVE INTERNATIONAL SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FIVE VIAGGI SRL- MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
FOCUS EDITORIA
FOCUS EXTRA EDITORIA
FORZA MILAN EDITORIA
FUTURA FINANZIARIA SRL - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
G. & G. ELECTRIC SRL - SESTO SAN GIOVANNI (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
G. R. T. - GESTIONI RADIO TELEVISIVE SPA - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
GAMAX BROKER POOL A.G. - LEVERKUSEN (GERMANIA) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
GESTEVISION S. A. - MADRID TELEVISIONE
GESTIONE FONDI FININVEST SPA - SEGRATE (MI) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
GESTIONE IMPIANTI MILAN SRL - SEGRATE (MI) CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
GESTIONI ESTERE SPA - SEGRATE (MI) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
GESTIONI INTERNAZIONALI SPA - SEGRATE (MI) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
GIULIO EINAUDI EDITORE S.P.A EDITORIA
GLAMOUR EDITORIA
GO - PANORAMA TRAVEL EDITORIA
GQ EDITORIA
GRAND GOURMET EDITORIA
GRANDI EVENTI SRL - MILANO PUBBLICITA’
GRAZIA EDITORIA
GRAZIA ACCESSORI EDITORIA
GRAZIA CASA EDITORIA
GRIJALBO EDITORIA
GRIJALBO EDITOR S.A. (URUGUAY) EDITORIA
GRIJALBO MONDADORI S.A. EDITORIA
GRIJALBO S.A. (ARGENTINA) EDITORIA
GRIJALBO S.A. (VENEZUELA) EDITORIA
GRUPPO A. M. E. - MILANO EDITORIA
GRUPPO STANDA GRANDE DISTRIBUZIONE
GRüNER UND JAHR MONDADORI S.P.A. EDITORIA
H & A MOTIVATION SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
HARLEQUIN MONDADORI S.P.A. EDITORIA
HEARST MONDADORI EDITORIALE S.R.L. EDITORIA
HOCKEY CLUB DEVILS MEDIOLANUM MILANO SRL - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
HOCKEY CLUB DIAVOLI MEDIOLANUM MILANO SRL - COMO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
I CLASSICI DEL GIALLO EDITORIA
I CLASSICI DISNEY EDITORIA
I CLASSICI URANIA EDITORIA
I GRANDI CLASSICI DISNEY EDITORIA
I ROMANZI EDITORIA
IL CODICE DELLA CUCINA ITALIANA EDITORIA
IL GIALLO MONDADORI EDITORIA
IL GIORNALE EDITORIA
IL TEATRO MANZONI SPA - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
IMMOBILIARE BRISEIDE SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
IMMOBILIARE BUONAPARTE I SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
IMMOBILIARE CARBONOLO SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
IMMOBILIARE CORIASCO SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
IMMOBILIARE IDRA SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
IMMOBILIARE LURATE CACCIVIO SRL - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
IMMOBILIARE PERSEO SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
IMMOBILIARE VERROCCHIO II SRL - SEGRATE (MI) SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
INDUSTRIE ALIMENTARI RIUNITE SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
INFRASTRUTTURE IMMOBILIARI SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
INTERNAZIONALE EDITORIA
INTERNAZIONALE EDITORIA
INTERNI EDITORIA
INTERNI ANNUAL BAGNO EDITORIA
INTERNI ANNUAL CUCINA EDITORIA
INTIMITA’ EDITORIA
IO COLORO TOPOLINO EDITORIA
ISIM - ITALIANA SVILUPPO E INVESTIM. MOBILIARI SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
ISTIFI ESPANA S. A. - MADRID SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
ISTIFI SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
JACK EDITORIA
JONIO ’82 SRL - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
JUMPY INTERNET & NEW MEDIA
KIRCH MEDIA TELEVISIONE
KMP - KABEL MEDIA PROGRAMMGESELLSCHAFT MBH - MONACO DI BAVIERA TELEVISIONE
L’ENIGMISTICA DI MINNI EDITORIA
L’UOMO VOGUE EDITORIA
LA CUCINA ITALIANA EDITORIA
LA MACCHINA DEL TEMPO EDITORIA
LE MONNIER EDITORIA
LEOPARD COMMUNICATIONS LTD - LONDRA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
LIBRA COMMUNICATIONS LTD - LONDRA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
LIBRA UK COMMUNICATIONS LTD - LONDRA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
LION COMMUNICATIONS LTD - MALTA CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
LOVE STORY EDITORIA
MACH 3 VIDEO SPA - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
MACH 5 DISCO SPA - MILANO TELEVISIONE
MARIE CLAIRE EDITORIA
MEDIADIGIT TELEVISIONE
MEDIASET TELEVISIONE
MEDIASET INVESTMENT TELEVISIONE
MEDIATRADE (PRODUZIONE FICTION TELEVISIVE) TELEVISIONE
MEDIOLANUM ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM ASSICURAZIONI SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM BORSA SIM P. A. - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM COMMISSIONARIA SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM CONSULENZA SIM P. A. - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM FACTOR SPA - MILANO SERVIZI DI GRUPPO E DIVERSIFICATE
MEDIOLANUM GESTIONE FONDI ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM GMBH - MONACO DI BAVIERA PUBBLICITA’
MEDIOLANUM INTER. FUNDS LIMITED (DUBLINO) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM PRIVATE S.A.M. - MONACO (FR.) ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM SPORT SPA - MILANO CINEMA, SPETTACOLO, SPORT
MEDIOLANUM STATE STREET ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
MEDIOLANUM VITA SPA - MILANO ASSICURAZIONI E SERVIZI FINANZIARI
Not counting what his relatives / associates / nameholders own. Ok?

Now, some important ones are:
- Mediaset, three of the seven main television channels in Italy. To be noted that another three are State-dependent (thus, indirectly depending on him).
- Numerous banks and financial officies, some of which have been shown to be connected to mafia. On the subject of the links between Berlusconi and mafia there is a lot to say, if you want to expand further.
- Mondadori, one of the greatest editorial industries in Italy, possibly THE greatest. An intresting fact about Mondadori is that he stole it. No kidding. We could expand further on this too, if you want. A quick note: the process regarding this theft ended with him being proven innocent. It's a pity that another process has shown that his lawyer corrupted the judge in said process. The lawyer is in jail, Mondadori is still in Berlusconi's hands.

He has control over most of what is said in Italy, although some transmissions and spaces still exist for others to talk. He's trying to get rid of those too.

And the British media seem to think that he talks about Communists a lot. Does he?

Yes. Yes he does. Why is this?
Well, remember when I said he made a contract with Italians? He didn't abide. He still wanted to stay in politics. So he invented "the Communists", which became his scapegoat for everything he did, everything he didn't do, everything everybody ever did. Communists are all those who oppose him, and thanks to the fear of communism that most italians share (due to Stalin and disinformation, mostly), people believe him.


A last note: there is still some hope. In our last (local) elections, a Communist was elected as mayor of Milan. Milan has always been the stronghold of Right and of Berlusconi's politics. Of course, he keeps saying that "it's just an amministrative election, the people is still with me", but we may hope.

[DrunkDestroyer]

^ was extremely interesting.

While I don't have any actual opinions or insight on the subject, I will definitely read anything else in this thread, especially if it's as informative, clear and understandable as that.

Seriously, thank you. Very impressive.

[The_Mormegil]

Why, thank you very much.

It's always more interesting to hear the political situation of a State from somebody that is inside it rather than from foreign media. Anyway, I shall note that this is only half of the medal: if you hear somebody who's voting for Berlusconi he will probably tell you a completely different tale. Of course, I do believe I'm right, and I have some proofs of that, but we're still discussing such matters here in Italy for a reason...

[Astrocyte]

WOW! Thank you, Mormegil! Your post was very informative. It's interesting to see what different cultures value in a leader and what behaviors are permitted or expected in politicians, and those things are hard to understand without a person from that culture explaining them.

I'm pretty impressed with how easily he was able to change laws to stop court proceedings involving him, and then publicly discuss how these laws are great and make Italy a better place. But, when you're a billionaire and you own more than half the media, I guess it'd be easy to get away with...

[Belthus]

Is Berlusconi out of danger from recent scandals? I thought that The Mormegil was talking about him getting out of past scandals, not the ones in the news these days.

After seeing the roughly 30% of the American electorate that won't waver in supporting a Republican President no matter what, I am not surprised that such a hard core exists in any country. When it comes to matters of ideology, people live in their own reality.

[Neopergoss]

Well said, Belthus. I was thinking the same thing. I think most people here assume that rank corruption only exists in other countries. Somehow they don't see what's right in front of them. I think the establishment media is largely to blame.

[The_Mormegil]

Is Berlusconi out of danger from recent scandals? I thought that The Mormegil was talking about him getting out of past scandals, not the ones in the news these days.

Oh, right, I completely forgot about sex. You know, while from a foreign perspective it's the most evident and ominous, the sexual scandal, Bunga-Bunga and all that is not really a strong argument here in Italy. We do have some people that find it disgusting (me included), but those are the people that wouldn't vote for Berlusconi in the first place.
After all, sex is about half of the appeal of Berlusconi's proposed society. If you take a look at the programs that are proposed in his televisions, you'll see barely naked women everywhere. And I mean it, every program has a "Velina", even programs that describe murders or programs that project videos of tragedies. Nudity and sex appeal are a great tool to sell products, and through a massive influence on television that model has been inducted in about all generations. Our kids are exposed to sexual innuendos at the age of three-four years (and I know what I'm talking about, because although I grew too fast for this situation to touch me, both my parents are teachers in primary school, and I see their students and I see the result of this television on their life). Our adults live in a society where having an illecit relationship with a younger and attractive woman is seen as a success. Our Minister of Equal Rights is a porn actress that is strongly suspected to have had a relationship with our Premier in the past.

The point is that most people approve those attitudes. They like sex, and they see a model in Berlusconi and its system (I refer to a "system" here because Berlusconi is only the external manifestation of a society that has deeper roots) which represents their ideal. In fact, some people saw a point of strength in this scandal. I quote an Italian teen: "I like Berlusconi because he is sexually powerful and successful. I want to be as active as he is when I reach his age."

All in all, people who vote for him nowadays don't care about those scandals at all. Those who care already didn't vote for him. It's part of what I said earlier: "If he cannot do whatever he pleases, how in the hell am I supposed to pass away with it? If he can't go with prostitutes, why should I be able to? If he can't go with minors, how am I supposed to?"

Well said, Belthus. I was thinking the same thing. I think most people here assume that rank corruption only exists in other countries. Somehow they don't see what's right in front of them. I think the establishment media is largely to blame.

Unfortunately, while I don't think ours is the only corrupted country, it's easy to see why it's one of the most corrupted. Of course I don't know much about your system and your corruption, but I do know why our mafia is worse than yours. It's all in our history really.

You see, italian mafia is a bit different from both american and japanese mafia. It's not just a criminal organization which controls illecit traffics and meddles with politics: it's an institution, a mindset. You all know that Italy is a recent State. Our Unification was exactly 150 years ago. The history of italian Unification is long and I don't want explain it all here, but it is significant to know that our State was divided in about 15 different States before Garibaldi, Cavour, Mazzini and the Savoia united them. One of the bigger territories (if not the biggest) was our South: it had a long history, a tradition and all that, and it was conquered by the new "Italy". North was divided and had a reason to want Italy, while South was pretty fine on its own. But that's not the worse: when we were unified, the laws of one of these States (Piemonte, the State of the Savoia, which led the conquer) were extended to all of our territories. Germans didn't do that, Bismark migrated the nation through a federation first. Our first government, though, made this decision and also removed all customs, letting the North industries invade the South market, provoking a collapse of southern economy as well as confusion with new laws causing problems all around. The natural solution to this situation was, of course, banditism (which was repressed in blood) and then mafia: a non-State within the State, mafia was born as a protection of traditions, old rules, old protocols, old rulers and old powers.

Nowadays (after fascism, in fact, which was a strong enough power to suffocate and repress mafia), our mafia is still proposing itself as an anti-State. The problem is that our State is too weak to stop it, and that the illegal models that mafia proposes are welcomed by most italians: both low-class desperates who want the respect that a mafioso gains from population and the high-class industrials who want the money. Middle class hides and pretends to see nothing, since "we have no alternatives" and "it's always been like that". Law is not considered an alternative anymore, (especially since our Premier escapes it so easily). They don't even perceive it as a problem anymore. Did you know that in south Italy a vote costs about 50€? They don't even see the difference between voting and not voting: the State is not their reality. Anti-State is.


Of course, that is true for a good part of our society, but not for all (not even for all South). The influence Berlusconi has on media, and the strength of the imaginery and legends around his person make the rest.

[Neopergoss]

At least Italy's corrupting influence is mostly confined to its own borders. The US messes things up all over the world.

It's quite disturbing when corrupt politics corrupts a culture. People like to talk about it like it doesn't matter, but it does. The rule of law is just so important. It's meaningless unless it applies equally to everyone, not just those powerful enough to evade it. This is perhaps the core value of society. Of course, it's also important how the law is made  Also, this gets me thinking about the media's vital role in exposing corruption and injustice. The US media is getting worse and worse about these things, but Italy's situation sounds even worse.

To hope for justice everywhere! I hope to read in the future about the career of Milan's mayor.

As a clearly concerned citizen in your country, what are you able to do to try to improve things (even in a small way)? I ask because I'm seeking ways to do so myself in my own country.

[The_Mormegil]

At least Italy's corrupting influence is mostly confined to its own borders. The US messes things up all over the world.

It's quite disturbing when corrupt politics corrupts a culture. People like to talk about it like it doesn't matter, but it does. The rule of law is just so important. It's meaningless unless it applies equally to everyone, not just those powerful enough to evade it. This is perhaps the core value of society. Of course, it's also important how the law is made  Also, this gets me thinking about the media's vital role in exposing corruption and injustice. The US media is getting worse and worse about these things, but Italy's situation sounds even worse.

To hope for justice everywhere! I hope to read in the future about the career of Milan's mayor.

As a clearly concerned citizen in your country, what are you able to do to try to improve things (even in a small way)? I ask because I'm seeking ways to do so myself in my own country.

That's something that bothers me quite a lot, actually. I spread informations and try to talk about these themes, but I often find myself cornered in a situation where "but that's what you say!" is the only answer I'm given, no matter how much evidence I bring. All in all, I believe only changing the people can actually bring some hope. That's why most of my forces and activities (strikes, manifestations) are devoted to halt the destruction of public schools.
Did I mention it yet? One of the aims of this government is to reduce resources and financial support to both school and research, while financing private ones, "to save money on useless wastes". There is a text by Piero Calamandrei, which is quite intresting to read, that explains an interpretation of such a process that goes beyond the reaction to the economical crisis. He shows that this process leads to creating a substantial separation between those who can afford to pay for private school (who end up having a proper formation) and those who cannot (which are left with the empty half of the glass). It's pretty intresting to read, I might translate it later.

Anyway, I try my best to diffuse a different point of view and to counter the action of the media. Of course, the only audience I may hope to influence is very limited and local, but it's something nonetheless.

[Belthus]

You shouldn't feel bad about not doing more. Just staying informed and talking with people are important. I have great admiration for activists who are always doing more than that, but it's easy to burn out. I think that some moments offer more opportunities than others, so even if you aren't an activist (I'm not), at least you and others may have a clear vision of what needs to be changed when a time of greater opportunity presents itself.

[Astrocyte]

but I often find myself cornered in a situation where "but that's what you say!" is the only answer I'm given, no matter how much evidence I bring.

I assure you this isn't unique to politics, or Italy, or you.    There always people who will believe only in what they want to be true, no matter how much evidence they have to the contrary.

As for "doing more," I feel the only things you CAN do beyond staying informed and being willing to patiently share your perspectives and knowledge with people are:
- donate to causes and people you believe in
- give your time and energy to working for causes or people you believe in
- attain ridiculous wealth, and then create a cause or become a person for others to believe in