Getting to know Silvio Berlusconi the richest man in Italy.
This below is typical of him.
Even if Berlusconi is not in office he's still running the country by the way.

Italy's workers confront Berlusconi

Protesters accused Berlusconi of breaking promises come sempre!

More than 100,000 workers have marched through the streets of Rome in a major protest against the labour, welfare and justice policies of Silvio Berlusconi's government.

It was an effective demonstration of the increasingly vocal opposition by Italy's left to the way in which media magnate Mr Berlusconi, Italy's wealthiest businessman, appears to be forcing through legislation favouring above all himself and his business cronies. Come sempre!!


Berlusconi: "Italy must stay competitive" We must provide for the rich too!

A general strike has been called for the week after Easter by the main labour unions.

Widespread industrial unrest played a key role in bringing down Mr Berlusconi's first government after only seven months in 1994. Che buono!

But the prime minister appears unfazed by threats of more strikes in the public services. He's super rich what does he care!!

He told a meeting of Italian industrialists that his popularity rating was still 70%. He's delusional.

He hinted that he was prepared to reconsider his plans to rewrite a key clause in a labour law that gives workers who feel they have been fired without just cause the automatic right to get their jobs back.


Many believe Berlusconi wants a dictatorship. And he does!

The prime minister insists that Italy must remain competitive within the European Union. And provide for the super rich sopra tutto!

The only way for this to happen, he argues, is to abandon previous labour legislation which stifles industrial flexibility.

The weakness of the left-wing opposition lies in its fragmentation and internal rivalries.

Even the leadership of the main left-wing party is in dispute.

Surprised nobody has come to Burlusconi's defense or agreed with what was said about him. One of my teacher's in Italy sure didn't like him. Went on and on against him.

Villa - Politics in Italy always seems to me to be a hot subject, so I'm not surprised there are few replies! All my in-laws are (or were) anti Berlusconi, and I would agree. I think the best politicians are born with a passion to do the best for their country, not "entrepreneurs, actors or otherwise A,B or C list celebrities" furthering their careers or wealth.

Whilst as a (now legal) non-voting immigrant, I would not criticise whoever my adopted country votes into power, I really believe Italy deserves better than businessmen with their own agenda, or rather weak coalition governments - the trouble is, with the wide political diversity in Italy (in the UK it's hard to tell the Left from the Centre or Right), there is rarely one party who can form a stable government.

Maybe if Maggie Thatcher applied for Italian Citizenship..........................:rolleyes:

Villa - Politics in Italy always seems to me to be a hot subject, so I'm not surprised there are few replies! All my in-laws are (or were) anti Berlusconi, and I would agree. I think the best politicians are born with a passion to do the best for their country, not "entrepreneurs, actors or otherwise A,B or C list celebrities" furthering their careers or wealth.

Whilst as a (now legal) non-voting immigrant, I would not criticise whoever my adopted country votes into power, I really believe Italy deserves better than businessmen with their own agenda, or rather weak coalition governments - the trouble is, with the wide political diversity in Italy (in the UK it's hard to tell the Left from the Centre or Right), there is rarely one party who can form a stable government.

Maybe if Maggie Thatcher applied for Italian Citizenship..........................:rolleyes:

Great interesting and provacative reply Markymark!! As I was reading your reply couldn't help but think of the situation here in the U.S.
First we have an entrepreneur business oilman idiot for a president and then a bad b actor as governor of California who is also a very rich entrepreneur business man who does not help the working class one ioda!

Villa - Politics in Italy always seems to me to be a hot subject, so I'm not surprised there are few replies! All my in-laws are (or were) anti Berlusconi, and I would agree. I think the best politicians are born with a passion to do the best for their country, not "entrepreneurs, actors or otherwise A,B or C list celebrities" furthering their careers or wealth.

Whilst as a (now legal) non-voting immigrant, I would not criticise whoever my adopted country votes into power, I really believe Italy deserves better than businessmen with their own agenda, or rather weak coalition governments - the trouble is, with the wide political diversity in Italy (in the UK it's hard to tell the Left from the Centre or Right), there is rarely one party who can form a stable government.

Maybe if Maggie Thatcher applied for Italian Citizenship..........................:rolleyes:

I think these issues matter enormously and we cannot ignore or underestimate the impact that political institutions have on our lives, wherever we live, or choose to live, in the world today.

As we write, Prodi's coalition is yet in the midst of a nother crisis and whilst Berlusconi's premiership may have been far from perfect, it would be foolish to suggest that the present government is any better. I don't think that the centre left coalition has produced any credible strategies; it may have introduced austerity measures to help balance the books, but this acts only as a temporary relief valve and achieves nothing sustainable in the long-term.

I think that it is important to point out that the excessive budget deficits, high public debt and the fundamental weaknesses that continiue to intensify the problems Italy is experiecing today have plaugued the country for many years.

One of Italy’s biggest drawbacks is its political system, which still suffers from many inherent weaknesses. This is in part, underpinned and exacerbated by a lack of unity. Interestingly, when Prodi first became premier in 1996, he even argued back then that Italy’s problem resulted from a lack of unity. To make matters worse, his own coalition was fragmented and without a clear vision for the future.


Has anything changed today? The new government is still fragmented and without a clear vision, and in turmoil over many issues. There is a lot of cynisim about Italian politics and given the performance of the political classes, understandably so.

Sad to say, it looks more and more like Italy is heading for it's 61st government in 62 years. This time, the present government is likely to be brought down by one man, heading a party of three, who is under investigation for fraud/corruption.

The only losers are the Italian people, and Italy's credibility abroad (Italy was pronounced the worst governed country in Europe by the Financial Times in London only a few days ago), a touchy subject for many Italians. Mr. Berlusconi, Mr.Prodi etc. will all be safe with their businesses and honorary directorships.

I think Italy deserves better.

I would agree with you there Mark. The only losers are the Italians and it is a shame.

Many of my Italian friends tell me that the only reason why this government is still in power is because they are waiting to reach the timescale when
parliamentaries can get their life pensions. I believe this is after the government has been in office for 2 years 6 months. I am starting to suspect that my friends are right.

"Sad to say, it looks more and more like Italy is heading for it's 61st government in 62 years. This time, the present government is likely to be brought down by one man, heading a party of three, who is under investigation for fraud/corruption."

Il sistema politico italiano e il piu democratico del mondo.
Tutti prima o poi fanno il presidente, per quindici minuti.

Cj unfortunally your friends are right...
you don't know what a shame is for many italians like us live Italy because our country is only beautifull but unfair...

I hope soon we will come back and make our contry strong like the others...
Many Italians scientist, artist and so on are making other countryes stringest...

I guess if every big italian brain will come back in Italy they will make the difference

I totally disagree with your anti- capitalistic mind set…when are you going to learn and stop criticizing business owners who create jobs and stimulate the economy, instead you people want to stay home, be poor and live off the Government… bella cosa!

You anti Berlusconi people have to change your attitudes and mind set. Stop worry so much about how many houses, cars or money a person has but be more grateful that a man like Berlusconi employs thousands of people, the rest of you anti activists just prevent economic stimulation. Economic growth can not come from a social communist government like Prodi unless you want to stay poor and live off the Government. Lets get real people!

Franky, there is nothing wrong with wanting to make a profit. Nobody on this forum is saying there is.
But when workers are exploited, not paid a decent wage and work under bad conditions then there is a problem.

Study the history of labor in the U.S., Italy, England and other countries. You'll see that there was always explotation going on. Read below and see explotation that's going on today.

An estimated 200 children, some 11 years old or even younger, are sewing clothing for Hanes, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney and Puma at the Harvest Rich factory in Bangladesh.

The children report being routinely slapped and beaten, sometimes falling down from exhaustion, forced to work 12 to 14 hours a day, even some all-night, 19- to 20-hour shifts, often seven days a week, for wages as low as 6 and a half cents an hour. The wages are so wretchedly low that many of the child workers get up at 5 a.m. each morning to brush their teeth using just their finger and ashes from the fire, since they cannot afford a toothbrush or toothpaste.

The workers say that if they could earn just 36 cents an hour, they could climb out of misery and into poverty, where they could live with a modicum of decency.

In the month of September, the children had just one day off, and before clothing shipments had to leave for the U.S., the workers were often kept at the factory 95 to 110 hours a week. After being forced to work a grueling all-night 19- to 20-hour shift, from 8 a.m. to 3 or 4 a.m. the following day, the children sleep on the factory floor for two or three hours before being woken to start their next shift at 8 a.m. that same morning.

The child workers are beaten for falling behind in their production goal, making mistakes or taking too long in the bathroom (which is filthy, lacking even toilet paper, soap or towels).

In 1996, after Charles Kernaghan and the National Labor Committee revealed that Kathie Lee Gifford's clothing line for Wal-Mart was being made by 12 and 13-year-olds in Honduras, the resulting scandal and publicity was enough to virtually wipe out child labor in garment factories around the world producing for export to the U.S.

Exactly a decade after the Kathie Lee Gifford scandal, children are again sewing clothing for Wal-Mart, Hanes and other U.S. companies," said Charles Kernaghan, director of the National Labor Committee. "Children belong in school, not locked in sweatshops. Wal-Mart, Hanes and the other companies owe these children, and must now provide them with stipends to replace their wages and cover all necessary expenses to send them back to school."

Corporate monitoring has again proved a miserable failure, as Harvard Rich was certified by the U.S. apparel industry's Worldwide Responsibly Apparel Production (WRAP) monitoring group. Not only did the U.S. companies fail to notice the child workers, the beatings, the excessive mandatory overtime, but also that not one single worker in Harvest Rich was paid the correct overtime pay legally due them. Any worker daring to ask for their proper wages, or that their most basic legal rights be respected, would immediately be attacked, beaten and fired.

"Right now, more than 100 children at the Harvest Rich factory are being threatened with firing," says Kernaghan. "It is time for the U.S. companies to act immediately, today, to guarantee that this does not happen and that the children are returned to school."

I'm sure you've heard of this book or maybe even read it. Maybe you saw the movie. But did you learn from it.

Oliver Twist (1838) is Charles Dickens's second novel.

An early example of the social novel, the book calls the public's attention to various contemporary social evils, including the Poor Law that states that poor people should work in workhouses, child labour and the recruitment of children as criminals. Dickens mocks the hypocrisies of the time by surrounding the novel's serious themes with sarcasm and dark humour. The novel may have been inspired by the story of Robert Blincoe, an orphan whose account of his hardships as a child labourer in a cotton mill was widely read in the 1830s.Oliver Twist has been the subject of numerous film and television adaptations, and is the basis for a highly successful musical, Oliver!.

Plot summary
Oliver Twist is born into a life of poverty and misfortune in a workhouse in an unnamed town[5] within 75 miles of London. Orphaned almost from his first breath by his mother’s death in childbirth and his father’s unexplained absence, Oliver is meagerly provided for under the terms of the Poor Law, and spends the first nine years of his life at a "baby farm" in the 'care' of a woman named Mrs. Mann. Along with other juvenile offenders against the poor-laws, Oliver is brought up with little food and few comforts.

Around the time of the orphan ’s ninth birthday, Mr Bumble, a parish beadle, removes Oliver from the baby farm and puts him to work picking oakum at the main branch-workhouse. Oliver, who toils with very little food, remains in the workhouse for six months, until the desperately hungry boys decide to draw lots; the loser must ask for another portion of gruel. The task falls to Oliver, who at the next meal tremblingly comes forward, bowl in hand, and makes his famous request: "Please, sir, I want some more."

Did you see this dcumentary?!?

http://my.lifeinitaly.com/vbtube_show.php?do=tube&tubeid=310&t=2780

is quite old but still explain something...

Villa Villa sounds so nice if only I can sell them twice.
You make great arguments with the manufacturing and labor issues facing a globalizing world market. Can’t argue that!

Now …Lets talk about the “Genius” BERLUSCONI

This self made Tycoon net worth over 6 billion.. that is amazing! He had half the amount before deciding to run for office. Great accomplishment…This is not worth nor disserves the criticism but many do.. Where does this criticism come from ? His attackers competitors in the Media market of Rome and the noble families threaten by his power. They brain wash their people of Rome to start a costly Media vs Govt war which now (Prodi) turned out to be non beneficial or wise.
Berlusconi is powerful and it comes from controlling the advertising media….the Roman’s don’t like this but insteading of looking down to stop smiling at how long their sausages are, the Romans should grab their meatballs and measure only to realize how small there are… because that’s the difference between a roman mentality and the Milano mentally in the business world. Its called having golden testicles filled with ambition. Why is this worth criticizing and not praising? Jealousy and envy that’s all I can say to those who carry a negative capitalistic attitude but can not clear the smoke from there eyes to see the positive economic stimulation. This is called having a social democratic negative mind set with a passing grade in creative writing and failing grade in economics 101, this mind set keeps you poor and living off the government.
Berlusconi is to Intelligent.. filled with self business wealth and knowledge, charming charismatic problem solver, if he was a women, I would lick him “como uno gelato di lemone.”

Creator of his own political party Forza Italia from the ground up starting from scratch. Try doing that! He is a man that Italians should be proud of …and lucky to have as there president and not to be condemn. His resume is absolutely incredible! If you stubborn people give an Italian Government a reasonable period of TIME.. .. with a man like Berlusconi, he will solve the economic challenges that Italy faces today in a globalizing world. Why ? because he does not need anymore money, its his pride that is being challenged and when you challenge a rich mans pride it makes him even more hungry to succeed. If this guy can’t do it no one can!

Berlusconi is a total Genius and will be remembered in History for a long long time.

If you stubborn people give an Italian Government a reasonable period of TIME.. ..

Regardless as to who is in power, I think you're right.

Italy's problems will not be solved in a couple of years, and for anyone to sort them out, it is likely they will have to make some tough decisions and changes which will no doubt be unpopular until people start to see improvements and a hope for the future.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the collapse of the Governments seems to me to be due to the system, and the fragile coalitions, not by the Italian people themselves. Unless a Government itself believes it has a sensible period of time in office, it will never try implement any changes that although may be very sound in the long run, might be vote losers in the short term.

A recent survey of Foreign multi-nationals published in La Stampa (I believe the survey is politically independant, even if the newspaper isn't) asked what were the obstacles to doing business in Italy. Unsurprisingly bureaucracy came out top, closely followed by the cost of labour and the complex legislative and judicial system. Government stability was a little way down. However, when asked about what should be tackled first, Government instability was the top, followed by bureaucracy.

Until the system is altered, I fear nothing will change, regardless as to who wins the next election.

Yes! You make a great point Mark.
I agree,
(The obstacles to doing business in Italy. Unsurprisingly bureaucracy came out top, closely followed by the cost of labor and the complex legislative and judicial system. Government stability was a little way down. However, when asked about what should be tackled first, Government instability was the top, followed by bureaucracy. until the system is altered, I fear nothing will change, regardless as to who wins the next election.)

We all know, there are too many political parties and instability with in the government of Italy, which also makes doing business in Italy frustrating. Along with the complex legislative and judicial system which helps instability formulate more corruption.

But here is my point, They elect a government to help breakdown these obstacles and by the time they can totally unpack there suit cases and settle into there positions, the people are already planning elections to throw out the government within a year. How do they expect to resolve these issues if it requires long term planning and implementation doing that? Are own leaders can’t even accomplish there objectives and changes on 4 year terms, so do Italians really think there elected government can to do this within only a year? Pazzi e droghatti!

Sadly, You have these new political science graduates applying for government programs subsidizing there organizations and there cancerous confusing new political parties. Then strategically go out, to take advantage of ignorant (but hard working people) while smiling to the bank after doing a persuasive head job with there ideals, while at the same time bashing Berlusconi for their current misfortunes. Now does that make sense too you?
These are political Leaders that don’t even give a shit whether they win or loose…, . That’s it…nothing done, no changes and at the end of the day, they leave with no substance, a long list of negative criticisms and a hatred for Berlusconi and northern Italians.

No one can deny that the modern world is full of political leaders letting us down, although there is no getting away from the fact that Berlusconi had given Italy its first stable elected government after decades in which the Italian political landscape had become an international joke.

However, in light of the many inherent weaknesses that continue to plague the Italian public administration – weaknesses that are deep rooted and derived from, among other things, inefficiency, low productivity and disorganisation, I am convinced that whoever does take up the helm will be in a rather unenviable position. It is not going to be easy to make the necessary changes, especially within a short time frame, because in addition to the aforementioned weaknesses, we still have a system that is plagued by archaic autocracy, where the old guard is resistant to change and where rigid hierarchy, clientilsm, nepotism, kakistrocacy and protectionism still rules.

As far as changes and reforms are concerned, there’s a lot of rhetoric of course and that is to be expected I suppose. Well-meaning people want to change the constitution, but you need an absolute majority of all seats in both chambers to achieve it. This would entail cross-party agreement. But how many times have you seen this happen?

This is in part, underpinned and exacerbated by a lack of unity. Prior to unification, Italy consisted of a collection of relatively small, yet often-quarrelling states, rarely free from war or foreign domination. In fact, Italy had not known political union for at least 1500 years. Given today’s divisions and the multifarious nature of the judicial system across the regions, is it any wonder that we can’t achieve a united Italy?

I support the view that all politicians need to recognise their weaknesses and limitations and do their utmost to compensate for any inadequacies that could spell further political and economic disaster for Italy. I also support the view that:

“it is all too easy to attribute to the political classes, both of the left and of right, the sole responsibility for the failures of a state or society, In the last analysis, the strength of a democracy in a single country does not depend only upon the capability or the integrity of its ruling élite, but also upon the culture of its families and the energy of its citizens.”

One EU report released in 2007 rated the Italian government and justice system the most corrupt among the 15 countries that made up the EU before the expansion in 2004.
Berlusconi who in 1994, was a victim of this political influential corrupt justice system. These corrupt powerful Lawmakers within the Italian Government realized Berlusconi was too intelligent and used maneuvers to sidestep these unjust criminal charges. Sadly, many Italians have at this point low expectations of change within its Government. It would take a genius like Berlusconi too change the thought of corruption in the Justice system as now accepted common element in the Italian politics. Berlusconi when confronting powerful enemies within the Justice system has proven time in and time out with his relentless bravery that is no pushover for these corrupt Law Makers. Berlusconi has also stressed that Italy's flawed political system that exaggerates the importance of fringe parties, little operates according to conventional wisdom while today’s lawmakers are under investigation based on actual criminal activity that cause these political wounds.

A justice minister under Prodi and investigation for corruption related to shameful kickbacks from a hospital system and collaborations with well-known Mafia figures. A Repetitious history of Italian failed Governments scares the soul of Italy and its people. Italy needs Berlusconi to stand up once again and let the public know that it is the Lawmakers and a Justice system to blame who continue to manipulate, while on a continuous route to satisfy their own individual agendas and at the same time does little for the people of Italy, but only weakens the hopes for a true honest efficient political system. Disgracefully, Italians today are once again confronted by a corrupt justice system which suddenly holds the fate of the Italian government in his hands.

I have to disagree with people that support a politician or another one putting him like a bless victim.

Our court system is not corrupted, it's just made and based to permit the politians to do what they want.

Berlusconi or Prodi everyone play the same dirty game because the system is based on for that!

Berlusconi was involved in many bad things as much as Prodi.
We shuold stop to claim politians because they are made from the same stone.

Cheers
G

I have to disagree with people that support a politician or another one putting him like a bless victim.

Our court system is not corrupted, it's just made and based to permit the politians to do what they want.

Berlusconi or Prodi everyone play the same dirty game because the system is based on for that!

Berlusconi was involved in many bad things as much as Prodi.
We shuold stop to claim politians because they are made from the same stone.

Cheers
G

So what's the solution? And where do we go from here?

Italy must remove all the heads of justice and change the laws that ostensibly limit political influence that are ridden with loopholes and are inadequate at best.
Italians must understand the History of Corporate Power within Government established centuries ago in Europe.

The monarchies of Europe gave corporate charters to multinational ventures. These chartered companies, in return for a percentage of the profit from their ventures, were given the authority establish formal colonies, to write trade agreements and set up free trade zones, to seize competitors' ships, to maintain forts and armies, and to coin money. The Companies levied taxes and ran the colonial courts, bribed local leaders with luxury goods and seats at the governors' table, and used slave labor to cut timber, dredge canals, and work the plantations. The colonial monopolies had enormous power, but legally their power was granted and withdrawn at the pleasure of the king.

“Stabilizing corruption and controlling Corporate power within a Government.”

Today in Italy, The king of Power is the Justice System which feeds and supports Corporate power that does more than influence the legal and political system. Italians must understand that the Justice System created corporate power and the only solution in controlling corruption within the Italian Government is for the citizens of Italy to attack the heads of Justice.
“The Enemy”
Corporate attorneys draft legislation which makes those policies the law of the land, corporate political action committees pay for the election campaigns of the politicians who ensure that such legislation becomes law, and lobbyists make sure the politicians stay bought. Corporate executives are appointed to lead the regulatory agencies which enforce (or dismantle) the laws that aren't favorable to business. National and multilateral trade and development agencies design and subsidize an international trading system dominated by the largest corporations. Governments and banks use public monies to subsidize and insure corporate investment.
The corporate consensus rises above the competitive advantage of particular corporations, and is larger than any industry. What unites corporations and industry associations and the wealthy and powerful is a consensus to build and maintain power itself. Corporate power is dependent on Justice System, legal, economic, and political mechanisms, structures, and processes.
It is the Justice System which must be corrected and it’s disgraceful corruption eliminated. This beautiful country of Italy that created and introduced Government to the civilized world deserves better!