[Editor's Note: Today's commentary is from TDV's Italy correspondent, Alexander Jousse (bio below).]
TDV has done an excellent job of defining fascism of late, especially with Pete Kofod's article, “Fascism For Dummies“.
Fascism was originally founded in Italy, and I can tell you first hand, Italy is still an extremely fascist country. And, when it is not fascist it is communist. As example, there are still laws in place that require a person to notify the authorities when they travel and stay elsewhere and hotels are legally obliged to notify the Carabiniere of the people staying with them. Italy still has it big syndicates. Confindustria is the main business syndicate in Italy, it has considerable influence in Italian politics which is rivalled by the communist unions.
Following this philosophy for so long, has created a deep intellectual and social malaise which is evident in two very dangerous beliefs that saturate all Italian thought. The first belief, is that all success and wealth come through the state; if one does not work for the state, one seeks patronage from the state or from someone within the state. The second belief, perhaps the most dangerous, is that wealth is finite. Therefore many believe that wealth only comes from theft; if others have made their wealth from ‘theft' they are entitled to liberate their wealth from others!
Everything else follows from this, government regulation to make the world ‘fair', taxes to make society ‘fair'. Unfortunately the business community believes the same lies; companies want laws to get their ‘fair' market share, professionals want ‘fair' professions without ‘unfair' competition. Everyone wants someone else to pay for their failings, or to have their grand fantasies of societal change subsidised.
This is why it will be impossible to save Italy in its current form; these ideas have been festering since it became a country. One hundred and fifty years of bad ideas are very difficult to change. The only chance for change is when this system finally collapses… but it will not be pleasant. The ruling political caste, the unions and syndicates do not want change, rather they want to set the clock back about fifteen years.
Monti's “Save Italy” legislation tries to accomplish this by changing nothing; there were no major changes to labour legislation, no simplification of the tax system, or tax reductions for individuals and no reduction of government ‘Red Tape'. Instead a few bones were thrown to the public; pharmacists would have to compete with supermarkets for the sale of some medicines. The professional cartels would have been opened up to more competition. This legislation went to parliament; afterwards all traces of liberalisation were removed with only the most odious legislation remaining.
So what is this grand plan meant to save Italy?
First, capital controls. Restrict the use of cash to absurdly low levels, then force everyone to have bank accounts, then tax what is left. Payments in cash, of greater than 999 euros will be illegal with very large fines to those who do not comply. All payments coming from the state, with a value greater than 500 euros must be cleared through a bank. They also want to remove all Lire coins and notes from circulation.
Second, increase government theft. They have changed their tax collection strategy to make sure that everyone pays their ‘fair share'. They will increase VAT to 23% and have added stealth taxes to petrol, diesel, gas, electricity and cigarettes. Due to local custom of tax evasion, they will start targeting people whose names are in property registers. There will be a tax on all real estate with extra waste taxes included and kindly calculated by the state on inflated property values.
These new emergency measures in Greece, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, United States and Italy are part of a wider campaign between the parasitic State and wealth producers. The way for us to win this war, is to stop feeding the monster; remove your consent by not voting, teaching your own children, use all legal means to avoid paying taxes and finally, by moving your wealth from these fascist countries.
Alexander JousseBio: Alexander Jousse has been an anarcho-capitalist for eight years, learning through Lew Rockwell, Murray Rothbard, Ludwig von Mises and Stefan Molyneux. But most importantly thinking, observing and asking questions. Alexander has lived in Italy for the last six years and writes about the country to counter the mainstream media who appear to get their information from the propaganda wing of the old communist party. Their solutions are always the same; tax, spend and regulate! Historically Italy is a perfect example of the despotism of democracy; before the nation state period, the cities, kingdoms and republics of Italy were wealthy and free.
