‘Gentle patriotism’ is the theme of Symbola’s summer seminar, taking place in Mantua from 11 to 13 June, which will explore ‘Identity, community and the soft economy in an age of division’. And it is precisely the adjective, ‘gentle’, that captures the political significance of a wide-ranging reflection on Italy’s future. Over the course of the seminar, the critical reflection will broaden to include considerations on Europe and the political, cultural and social values of the region we now refer to as the West. This region is characterised by the historical coexistence of liberal democracy, the market economy and the welfare state, which have not always been without tension. Together, they embody freedom, innovative enterprise and social solidarity.
The wider Western world – Europe and America – is now in crisis. This patriotism is rooted in the values of the French Revolution (the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen’) and, more broadly, the Enlightenment. It is also evident in the United States Declaration of Independence, which was deeply influenced by the cultural tensions of 18th-century Europe. In certain passages, it was also influenced by the writings of Neapolitan Enlightenment philosophers, beginning with Gaetano Filangieri. We owe the concept of the ‘right to the pursuit of happiness’ to him. The ‘fundamental purpose of a just state is to guarantee the happiness and well-being of its citizens through good laws’. We shall encounter him again a few years later in the pages of the US Constitution, through the impetus of Benjamin Franklin. This is just one of the many cultural links between Europe and the US.
Our constitutions are a continuation and update of them.
‘Gentle patriotism’, then, not aggressive. In fact, it is imbued with civic virtues and a sense of responsibility towards the community, which can be understood as the fatherland (patriotism deriving from the Greek word for fatherland, ‘patris’) of origins, shared memories, and founding values. It is a political value (the polis as a sense of belonging) that is not closed and is inclusive. This is a far cry from the kind of nationalism inspired by the belief in the supremacy of one nation over others. This belief marked some of the darkest chapters of history between the 19th and 20th centuries, and it continues to exert a pernicious influence even today, lying at the heart of the current geopolitical tensions.
Those who experience contemporary history first-hand are unable to grasp all its intricacies or understand the extent of its divisions. In Italy, however, alongside sluggish growth and a full-blown crisis affecting entire industrial sectors, such as automotive and household appliances, as well as more general fears of ongoing ‘deindustrialisation’ (a concern also expressed by Confindustria) it is worth noting the growth in exports and successes in certain strategic sectors such as mechatronics, pharmaceuticals, advanced chemistry and aerospace. These are useful tools for developing a new and improved industrial policy in Italy and Europe.
Can productivity and competitiveness be ‘patriotic values’? This is certainly true of research, employment and social cohesion, all of which Symbola has long demonstrated to be vital for the growth of businesses and productive regions.
The connection between the words ‘patriotism’ and ‘gentle’ can be traced back to a discussion between Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, the President of the Republic, and Ermete Realacci, the president of Symbola in the early 2000s. Meanwhile, at the Quirinale, preparations were underway for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Unification of Italy on 17 March 2011. This included a fresh look at the Italian national anthem. There was a series of conferences and studies. And a look back at the origins of the Italian flag. There is also a critical reflection on the concept of ‘fatherland’ — a set of values pertaining to the entire national community that cannot be subject to distortion, but rather point to a ‘shared history’, with all its glories and dark shadows. The controversy over the ‘death of the fatherland’ is still resonating, an event that was experienced with deep sorrow by many Italians following the flight of King Victor Emmanuel III and the court from Rome to Brindisi to avoid the risks of Nazi occupation. This left the army in disarray and Italy without a government.
To his credit, Ciampi revived the concept of the fatherland and making it one of the key points for reflection on the unification of Italy. And what about the ‘gentle’? It evokes Italy’s long history, culture and beauty, as well as the diversity of its landscapes and environments. It is a set of ethical and civic values that encompasses dialogue, hospitality and a welcoming atmosphere. It is a value system that promotes hard work and an open, dialogical and inclusive identity. In short, Italy doing what’s best for Italy.
It is a form of patriotism with deep cultural and literary roots. Poets and writers who inspired the Risorgimento, including Dante, Petrarch, Guicciardini, Alfieri, Foscolo and Manzoni. And Verdi, his melodrama was the soundtrack to Italy’s development and the consolidation of the unified nation’s political significance and patriotism.
Next consider the Italians who had a strong sense of identity. In the trenches of the First World War, Sardinian shepherds, Sicilian labourers, mountain folk from the Apennines and the Alpine valleys, and farmers from the Po Valley were all together. They shared a common language, which they had learned through the officers’ orders and the harsh realities of war (read Lussu’s accounts to get an idea of what it was like). And during the Fascist era, the rhetoric was of an Italian supremacy rooted in the Roman legacy. And above all, with the radical economic and social changes of the post-war period and the large-scale migration from the countryside in the South to the factories in the North.
It is precisely in the factory that one learns to be both a worker and a citizen, experiencing the harshness of toil and conflict first-hand. Work and values. But here it is, too: the comfort of a state of human and social well-being which, despite everything, is growing and spreading across most of the country.
‘We are history’, as Francesco De Gregori rightly says. And we are an Italy in the midst of transformation, a flexible nation that adapts to change and, indeed, smooths out its rough edges and hones away its rough spots.
How, then, can we speak today of our gentle patriotism, in such a difficult time of division, tension, conflict and war?
Perhaps by highlighting the patriotic spirit of industry and enterprise. For example, Angelo Costa, president of Confindustria, and Giuseppe Di Vittorio, secretary of the CGIL, agreed immediately after the end of the war that ‘we should rebuild the factories first, and then the homes’. And that attitude of ‘doing, doing well and doing good’, which characterises the inclination to ‘produce beautiful things that the world loves, in the shadow of the bell towers’ (lest we forget the lesson of Carlo M. Cipolla). Many companies have now embedded a commitment to environmental, social and economic sustainability in their corporate culture and production models to the extent that it has become a competitive advantage in international markets, as evidenced by international financial indices which rate the ESG performance of leading Italian companies positively in terms of environmental, social and governance factors.
You only need to take an imaginary ‘journey through Italy’ to find further clear evidence of this. To consider more recent events, the work of Carlin Petrini with Slow Food, commemorated at his funeral on Saturday at the University of Pollenzo, offers an important example for Italy and the Mediterranean region, serving as a lesson in the ethical, social and ecological issues at stake when it comes to food quality and sustainability. Similarly, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, paid a far from rhetorical tribute on the 34th anniversary of the deaths of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino (23 May). The fight against the Mafia remains as relevant as ever. As for the patriotism we are so proud of, the Mafia clans are powerful and well-protected enemies.
The ‘Journey Through Italy’ continues to highlight the doctors and nurses who worked tirelessly during the pandemic, our soldiers on challenging peacekeeping missions abroad, and the mayors who governed towns and cities, both large and small, amidst severe economic and social difficulties. It also highlights book fairs and festivals aimed at promoting literacy (Mantua, Pordenone, Turin, etc.).
Examples of this can be found by reading the news pages of newspapers, which discuss topics such as ‘gentle patriotism’ and the importance of defending the quality of information through intelligent investment. Other examples can be found in articles about researchers who rank highly in international scientific discovery rankings and teachers who continue to educate students about the meaning and roots of community life, not just literature, history and physics, in schools that receive less funding than those in other European countries.
A long list that goes beyond the propaganda of ‘Italians are good people’ and the ‘Belpaese’, instead focusing on the women and men who carry out their work with dedication and rigour in every professional, productive, and care-related role, despite everything. The ‘third sector’ and the voluntary sector provide constant evidence of this. It is a list not to be forgotten.
In short, ‘gentle patriotism’ involves taking care of this country while playing a leading role in creating a better Europe. It is a concept that deserves to be embraced by the young people who deserve a brighter future than the ‘winter of our discontent’ that we are currently experiencing. The digital transition and AI, with a European twist (our languages, our values), form part of this context.
‘Gentle patriotism’ also means heeding Renzo Piano, who calls for the ‘mending’ of the environmental, social and civic rifts that are tearing cities apart, with their abandoned suburbs, and, by extension, the national fabric. That is what “mending” entails: a labour of attention and care, a serious political commitment, a culture that Elio Vittorini wanted to be ‘useful’. Italy also possesses a form of soft power rooted in a sense of beauty, an appreciation of innovation, and civic virtues that can be harnessed, even in the toughest of times.
The closing words of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Life of Galileo’ spring to mind. The scientist is in his room, alone, humiliated by the members of the Inquisition who have forced him to recant his scientific and astronomical theories and discoveries. A student enters and asks: ‘Master, what is the night like?’. And on that terrible evening, filled with exhaustion, intellectual anguish and humiliation, Galileo replies: ‘Clear’. The night of science, intelligence and reason is, therefore, ‘clear’.
Gentle patriotism is able to see the ‘clear nights’, despite everything.
(photo Getty Images)
‘Gentle patriotism’ is the theme of Symbola’s summer seminar, taking place in Mantua from 11 to 13 June, which will explore ‘Identity, community and the soft economy in an age of division’. And it is precisely the adjective, ‘gentle’, that captures the political significance of a wide-ranging reflection on Italy’s future. Over the course of the seminar, the critical reflection will broaden to include considerations on Europe and the political, cultural and social values of the region we now refer to as the West. This region is characterised by the historical coexistence of liberal democracy, the market economy and the welfare state, which have not always been without tension. Together, they embody freedom, innovative enterprise and social solidarity.
The wider Western world – Europe and America – is now in crisis. This patriotism is rooted in the values of the French Revolution (the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen’) and, more broadly, the Enlightenment. It is also evident in the United States Declaration of Independence, which was deeply influenced by the cultural tensions of 18th-century Europe. In certain passages, it was also influenced by the writings of Neapolitan Enlightenment philosophers, beginning with Gaetano Filangieri. We owe the concept of the ‘right to the pursuit of happiness’ to him. The ‘fundamental purpose of a just state is to guarantee the happiness and well-being of its citizens through good laws’. We shall encounter him again a few years later in the pages of the US Constitution, through the impetus of Benjamin Franklin. This is just one of the many cultural links between Europe and the US.
Our constitutions are a continuation and update of them.
‘Gentle patriotism’, then, not aggressive. In fact, it is imbued with civic virtues and a sense of responsibility towards the community, which can be understood as the fatherland (patriotism deriving from the Greek word for fatherland, ‘patris’) of origins, shared memories, and founding values. It is a political value (the polis as a sense of belonging) that is not closed and is inclusive. This is a far cry from the kind of nationalism inspired by the belief in the supremacy of one nation over others. This belief marked some of the darkest chapters of history between the 19th and 20th centuries, and it continues to exert a pernicious influence even today, lying at the heart of the current geopolitical tensions.
Those who experience contemporary history first-hand are unable to grasp all its intricacies or understand the extent of its divisions. In Italy, however, alongside sluggish growth and a full-blown crisis affecting entire industrial sectors, such as automotive and household appliances, as well as more general fears of ongoing ‘deindustrialisation’ (a concern also expressed by Confindustria) it is worth noting the growth in exports and successes in certain strategic sectors such as mechatronics, pharmaceuticals, advanced chemistry and aerospace. These are useful tools for developing a new and improved industrial policy in Italy and Europe.
Can productivity and competitiveness be ‘patriotic values’? This is certainly true of research, employment and social cohesion, all of which Symbola has long demonstrated to be vital for the growth of businesses and productive regions.
The connection between the words ‘patriotism’ and ‘gentle’ can be traced back to a discussion between Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, the President of the Republic, and Ermete Realacci, the president of Symbola in the early 2000s. Meanwhile, at the Quirinale, preparations were underway for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the Unification of Italy on 17 March 2011. This included a fresh look at the Italian national anthem. There was a series of conferences and studies. And a look back at the origins of the Italian flag. There is also a critical reflection on the concept of ‘fatherland’ — a set of values pertaining to the entire national community that cannot be subject to distortion, but rather point to a ‘shared history’, with all its glories and dark shadows. The controversy over the ‘death of the fatherland’ is still resonating, an event that was experienced with deep sorrow by many Italians following the flight of King Victor Emmanuel III and the court from Rome to Brindisi to avoid the risks of Nazi occupation. This left the army in disarray and Italy without a government.
To his credit, Ciampi revived the concept of the fatherland and making it one of the key points for reflection on the unification of Italy. And what about the ‘gentle’? It evokes Italy’s long history, culture and beauty, as well as the diversity of its landscapes and environments. It is a set of ethical and civic values that encompasses dialogue, hospitality and a welcoming atmosphere. It is a value system that promotes hard work and an open, dialogical and inclusive identity. In short, Italy doing what’s best for Italy.
It is a form of patriotism with deep cultural and literary roots. Poets and writers who inspired the Risorgimento, including Dante, Petrarch, Guicciardini, Alfieri, Foscolo and Manzoni. And Verdi, his melodrama was the soundtrack to Italy’s development and the consolidation of the unified nation’s political significance and patriotism.
Next consider the Italians who had a strong sense of identity. In the trenches of the First World War, Sardinian shepherds, Sicilian labourers, mountain folk from the Apennines and the Alpine valleys, and farmers from the Po Valley were all together. They shared a common language, which they had learned through the officers’ orders and the harsh realities of war (read Lussu’s accounts to get an idea of what it was like). And during the Fascist era, the rhetoric was of an Italian supremacy rooted in the Roman legacy. And above all, with the radical economic and social changes of the post-war period and the large-scale migration from the countryside in the South to the factories in the North.
It is precisely in the factory that one learns to be both a worker and a citizen, experiencing the harshness of toil and conflict first-hand. Work and values. But here it is, too: the comfort of a state of human and social well-being which, despite everything, is growing and spreading across most of the country.
‘We are history’, as Francesco De Gregori rightly says. And we are an Italy in the midst of transformation, a flexible nation that adapts to change and, indeed, smooths out its rough edges and hones away its rough spots.
How, then, can we speak today of our gentle patriotism, in such a difficult time of division, tension, conflict and war?
Perhaps by highlighting the patriotic spirit of industry and enterprise. For example, Angelo Costa, president of Confindustria, and Giuseppe Di Vittorio, secretary of the CGIL, agreed immediately after the end of the war that ‘we should rebuild the factories first, and then the homes’. And that attitude of ‘doing, doing well and doing good’, which characterises the inclination to ‘produce beautiful things that the world loves, in the shadow of the bell towers’ (lest we forget the lesson of Carlo M. Cipolla). Many companies have now embedded a commitment to environmental, social and economic sustainability in their corporate culture and production models to the extent that it has become a competitive advantage in international markets, as evidenced by international financial indices which rate the ESG performance of leading Italian companies positively in terms of environmental, social and governance factors.
You only need to take an imaginary ‘journey through Italy’ to find further clear evidence of this. To consider more recent events, the work of Carlin Petrini with Slow Food, commemorated at his funeral on Saturday at the University of Pollenzo, offers an important example for Italy and the Mediterranean region, serving as a lesson in the ethical, social and ecological issues at stake when it comes to food quality and sustainability. Similarly, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, paid a far from rhetorical tribute on the 34th anniversary of the deaths of Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino (23 May). The fight against the Mafia remains as relevant as ever. As for the patriotism we are so proud of, the Mafia clans are powerful and well-protected enemies.
The ‘Journey Through Italy’ continues to highlight the doctors and nurses who worked tirelessly during the pandemic, our soldiers on challenging peacekeeping missions abroad, and the mayors who governed towns and cities, both large and small, amidst severe economic and social difficulties. It also highlights book fairs and festivals aimed at promoting literacy (Mantua, Pordenone, Turin, etc.).
Examples of this can be found by reading the news pages of newspapers, which discuss topics such as ‘gentle patriotism’ and the importance of defending the quality of information through intelligent investment. Other examples can be found in articles about researchers who rank highly in international scientific discovery rankings and teachers who continue to educate students about the meaning and roots of community life, not just literature, history and physics, in schools that receive less funding than those in other European countries.
A long list that goes beyond the propaganda of ‘Italians are good people’ and the ‘Belpaese’, instead focusing on the women and men who carry out their work with dedication and rigour in every professional, productive, and care-related role, despite everything. The ‘third sector’ and the voluntary sector provide constant evidence of this. It is a list not to be forgotten.
In short, ‘gentle patriotism’ involves taking care of this country while playing a leading role in creating a better Europe. It is a concept that deserves to be embraced by the young people who deserve a brighter future than the ‘winter of our discontent’ that we are currently experiencing. The digital transition and AI, with a European twist (our languages, our values), form part of this context.
‘Gentle patriotism’ also means heeding Renzo Piano, who calls for the ‘mending’ of the environmental, social and civic rifts that are tearing cities apart, with their abandoned suburbs, and, by extension, the national fabric. That is what “mending” entails: a labour of attention and care, a serious political commitment, a culture that Elio Vittorini wanted to be ‘useful’. Italy also possesses a form of soft power rooted in a sense of beauty, an appreciation of innovation, and civic virtues that can be harnessed, even in the toughest of times.
The closing words of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Life of Galileo’ spring to mind. The scientist is in his room, alone, humiliated by the members of the Inquisition who have forced him to recant his scientific and astronomical theories and discoveries. A student enters and asks: ‘Master, what is the night like?’. And on that terrible evening, filled with exhaustion, intellectual anguish and humiliation, Galileo replies: ‘Clear’. The night of science, intelligence and reason is, therefore, ‘clear’.
Gentle patriotism is able to see the ‘clear nights’, despite everything.
(photo Getty Images)
