Italy Rushes Toward Reform

This report, dated November 16th, is written by Tony Barber for the Murdoch-owned Financial Times.

The government of Silvio Berlusconi wants to push through government reforms that give more power to Italy's twenty regions before national elections next April. Said reforms would also restructure the Senate and the Supreme Court. It is seen by some to strengthen the hand of his coalition government, which includes the Northern League. The League wants greater freedom for the northern half of the country, as well as ending the flow of money to the south, which they hold is more corrupt than the rest of the nation.

Distributism believes in de-centralizing the power of government - as well as business - to the lowest level possible. This is the principle of subsidiarity. The Berlusconi administration is taking necessary steps to see this done, but it still doesn't go far enough. Ideally, he should encourage Italy to also leave the UN, WTO and the European Union. The regional governments, if they aren't already doing it, should devolve their powers to the smaller divisions within each region.

But give credit where it is due. Let's hope Berlusconi and the League will succeed in their efforts.