Monday 21 February 2011

Depraved Democracy

Berlusconi's  "We would not want to disturb Ghadaffi.",  is no one-off remark of a thug and criminal and dirty old man. Indeed the reach of criminal governance in the Mediterranean that is centred in Italy is displayed by  the stance of both the Italian Foreign Secretary Frattini and by permanent government officials.  It is not, they state,  for Italy, or for Europe, to press for a particular kind of democracy in north Africa. 

At least not for the kind of democracy that involves free elections, the separation of powers, and individual freedom under the rule of law.   As Berlusconi corrupts the legislature, assaults the constitution, bribes the judiciary and attempts to assert that he is above the law it begins to look as if the kind of democracy specific to north Africa is being cultivated and proposed for Italy too.

4 comments:

Odin's Raven said...

That sort of 18-19th c democracy only ever flourished in English speaking countries, and even there it is out of fashion now.
Perhaps Italy might do better, if it wants to get away from Ceasarism, to go back to medieval city states; but they would some be fighting each other, and the EU would have to send some Health and Safety monitors to prevent that!

Elby the Beserk said...

No need to worry about Silvio and North Africa. Baroness Ashton is on the case. Her speech on this matter could have been generated by an EU Bureuacrat Speech Generator programme, and probably was.

hatfield girl said...

North Hertfordshire has lost a fine administrator for its health service, Elby.

hatfield girl said...

What makes you think city states ever went out of fashion Raven? The peace treaty between Florence and Siena was signed only in the 1970s, and that was only for a show and flag-twirling. Really we all know what to expect from the Senese. As for finding a Pisan on the doorstep...

Still, on 17 March St Patrick takes a back seat as we all celebrate the unification of Italy - except for the ill-mannered, Padania Bossi-acolytes of course.