Culture, politics, the economy: Italy’s national interest, from the country’s unification to the present day
In the beginning, there was the catch-cry of “liberty and independence”: the Risorgimento ideal par excellence, expressing the longing of generations of those aspiring for an Italian nation, who – from the Congress of Vienna to 1861, as well as in the bellicose sequels of the following decade – devoted their thoughts and deeds and blood and hopes to the unification of Italy.
Sharing our future: forging an alliance between state and market for a new social contract
At this roundtable session dedicated to the future of Italy’s pension system, it was observed that population aging, the impending retirement of the baby boomer generation, the prolonged period of economic stagnation currently being experienced and dwindling public resources are driving Italy, as well as most other developed nations, to tackle questions regarding the relationship between the role of public and private social security schemes. Today, pensions, healthcare and welfare, in their various forms, are no longer being delivered solely by the state.
The “green economy”: new opportunities for Italy
The key objective to emerge from the discussions at this National Conference was that of transforming a constraint into an opportunity. The green economy must be made the cornerstone of a new, more sustainable and enduring development model. It was observed that, in recent years, particularly in the wake of the protracted effects of the worst economic and financial crisis in recent history, the world has begun to stop treating the “environmental factor” as a possible limitation on freedom of enterprise, but rather to see it from a more comprehensive perspective.
Italy in 10 years’ time: from crisis to growth
This seminar in the latest ASL series got underway with the observation that the way the current crisis has evolved confirms the necessity of moving beyond ex-post and localized solutions that deal with emergencies country-by-country and as and when they arise. The participants pointed instead to the need for a comprehensive strategy, based on three pillars. The first of these is the adoption of deficit-reduction programs at the national level. The second is the creation of common funds and institutions with more resources and more effective governance.
Italian leaders abroad
International openness and the circulation of people and talent during key stages of professional training and development were the central topics of discussion at this Third Conference on “Italian leaders abroad”.
Italians at home and abroad: shared heritage, success stories and internationalization
In this Aspen Seminar for Leaders, dedicated to Italian talent at home and abroad, it was noted that perhaps as in no other Western country, culture has been a unifying factor in Italy: the sheer force of Italians having ancient roots in common and an extraordinary shared history has sustained an unbroken national identity over the centuries, despite the country being for a long time fragmented into several smaller states.
Celebrating Italy’s 150th anniversary: the country’s youth, history and future
The 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy provided the Aspen Junior Fellows with a renewed opportunity at their Annual Conference to reflect on and bear witness to the country’s quintessential values, as well as celebrating the group’s tenth anniversary.
Italy’s cultural roots
Roots in the plural, put together like a mosaic of contributions and meanings that are sometimes even at variance: the foundations of Italian culture, it was suggested at this roundtable discussion, cannot be otherwise described. Formed from a diverse array of knowledge, customs and learning, Italian culture has over time developed a pluralistic unity.
Finding alternative indicators of well-being and growth in Italy
The debate over the need to broaden the scope of economic indicators – and more particularly, moving beyond measurements of GDP – has inspired a wide range of studies on the topic both in Italy and abroad. This roundtable event examined a recent Aspen Institute Italia-Fondazione Edison study entitled “Italy in the new geo-economy of the G-20”, which aims to contribute further to this discussion. The study reveals an Italy that is better-placed than indicated by traditional rankings and compares favorably with other industrialized economies in numerous fields.
Italy’s strong and weak points
The opening premise of this roundtable discussion was that a differential of more than ten percentage points has separated Italy from the average growth rate of the eurozone countries over the last 10 years. Whilst the growth rates of some of these countries have now been revealed as unsustainable, based as they were on an escalation in private and/or public borrowings, it was acknowledged that a comparison with the growth of more virtuous countries, such as Germany and, in particular, France, is still unfavorable to Italy.
The economic dimension of crime
The roundtable session opened with an acknowledgement by participants that the processes of globalization have made the fight against crime more complicated. Criminal activities have spread worldwide, expanding with the internationalization of trade and growth in migration flows. At the same time, however, organized crime has maintained a strong local flavor, due to its embeddedness in local communities and its permeation into the fabric of society.
The frontiers of identity
Identity is a word that has multiple connotations. Paradoxically, there is not just one but many kinds of identities, whose characteristics, origins and development processes are quite different from one another. Individual identity, for example, is often brought into question at the very moment it is affirmed: Saint Augustine explains that sense of doubt in fact characterizes the fundamental moments in one’s life. The ego becomes aware of itself by a process of elimination: I am all, minus that which I am not.
The industrial system, territory and social cohesion
This seminar got underway with the participants noting that the Italian industrial system has succeeded in weathering the global crisis whilst maintaining the country’s position as a leading manufacturer both in Europe and worldwide. The more or less stable performance of the Italian production system has enabled the economy to respond to stimulus, though the signs of recovery remain weak.
Italy and future challenges. Heading towards 2020
This session of the Aspen Seminars for Leaders examined various institutional scenarios, viewed from the perspective of changes taking place at the European and global level and the reform processes that these call for within Italy. It was observed that, on the one hand, the search for more stable global macroeconomic balances has been accompanied by European debate concerning the tightening of fiscal regulation, changes to the Growth and Stability Pact, and putting in place adequate mechanisms to deal with emergency situations.
Investing in knowledge: more innovation, better infrastructure, new school system
In this seminar, the participants examined what were identified as the major areas requiring action to enable Italy to face the new and increasingly impelling global challenges. The three areas singled out were: innovation policies, tangible and intangible knowledge-system infrastructure, and education models conducive to promoting employment and competitiveness.
Culture, leadership, social responsibility
The discussion in this session focused on the role of culture in the wake of the global crisis. In this regard, the participants highlighted the increasing search for a more harmonious, sustainable and forward-looking social model, yet one that is anchored in the roots of national identity. With the global crisis, this quest for a new kind of paradigm of development has, even in Italy, once again focused what perhaps was otherwise languishing interest on the crucial importance of “culture”.
Italian leaders abroad
This National Conference provided an opportunity for comparing the experiences of Italians who have managed to carve out brilliant careers and hold very high-level positions outside Italy, with a view to contributing to a better understanding of the country’s problems and areas of potential, and to identifying better long-term relationship-building and global integration prospects.
Italian successes and talented operators around the world
The experience gained by Italians around the world, the challenges that will need to be faced to build global skills, and the ability of the national economy to operate as a global actor are all aspects of a single issue, namely: how to make the most of overseas Italian talent. Talented Italians are finding it increasingly easier to emigrate rather than build reasonable career prospects for themselves at home.
Economic policies, credit systems and business strategies: how to overcome the crisis
The crisis we are experiencing has not spared anyone, taking in the economy, society and institutions. It has hit the financial sector, spilled over into the real economy and labor market, and called into question the role of the State and international organizations. The crisis has also raised doubts regarding our model of development, the ability of the political sphere to control economic processes, and the reliability of those who had sufficient information from which to predict the worst financial disaster since the end of the Second World War and who did not do so.
Simpler norms: modernizing Italy
The participants at this roundtable event noted that, in terms of Italy’s economic development and competitiveness, regulatory simplification represents a fundamental challenge for the modernization of the country. Unnecessary red tape – the result of the application of obsolete laws – places a burden on both individuals and businesses which effectively amounts to a form of hidden taxation. Put in other terms, it represents an engaged handbrake on an economy that needs to take off again.
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