Boosting competitiveness by supporting Italy’s Mezzogiorno

Italy’s south or “Mezzogiorno” is a region that fails to meet todays challenges. It deserves better, but the lack of infrastructure and of qualified labor, as well as excessive bureaucracy, high levels of organized crime, widespread disrespect for the law, weak institutions and a lack of social capital. These obstacles make it difficult for the region to take advantage of its many opportunities for development. Even floods of public funds over the years have helped little.During the debate, participants stressed that the Mezzogiorno is also home to areas of excellence and shows encouraging signs of innovation with respect to other underdeveloped regions. Not only private operators but also universities and the services sector are making good use of resources to stimulate growth. Organized crime is a particular sore spot in the region as it conditions all sectors of activity and public life. Resolving this issue will help the entire country, not just the south. Rule of law and respect for order therefore stand as primary goals in the region. Only when these goals have been reached will the conditions be in place for economic-civil-social development in the south. Yet not even these ambitious goals are enough. Public Administration must also be simplified: in Italy, weighed down as it is with cumbersome bureaucracy, there is nevertheless a significant difference between efficiency in the center, north and south. Fundamental services such as water supply, garbage disposal and transportation are noticeably better to the north. The southern regions of the country must enact similar policies to those that have worked in the north: new infrastructure, but also qualified labor, research labs in universities, and local productivity are called for.