Rereading the Ecclesiastes – a time for responsibility and reform, rather than electoral promises
In difficult and controversial times, rereading the classics always proves to be a useful activity – such as rereading the Ecclesiastes, and see what they have to say about ‘time’, to remind ourselves that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens/… a time to plant and a time to unroot/… a time to scatter stone and a time to gather them/… a time to tear and a time to mend/… a time for war and a time for peace”.
Nowadays, in these times of uncertainty and “risk society”, amidst environmental and social crises and geopolitical upheaval, pandemics that are still ongoing and recessions that ominously loom, it’s time for “gathering scattered stones”, for critical thinking and historical awareness, and, at the same time, for introducing new policies that will allow us to identify criteria and actions useful to “rethink globalisation” and create new and better opportunities for sustainable development.
In other words, we need to bring about “a time to mend”, as suggested by the Ecclesiastes, reiterating the values of a Europe founded on liberal democracy, a market economy, inclusion and welfare, republican principles that demand both rights and duties and an attitude inspired by discussion and dialogue.
A Europe that was able to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic better than Russia, China and the United States did (and, here in Italy, in a particularly effective manner, too – despite dark moments, failures, rifts and mistakes). All thanks to health systems that, in spite of their many differences, succeeded nonetheless in bringing together the inclusive strength of the public sector and the efficiency of the private sector, as well as high-quality collaborations between research institutes and life sciences companies. And all in all, though polluted by fake news, opportunist populist politicians, no-vax biases and a lot of oversimplified, and often grossly aggressive, hubbub on social media, even public opinion vagaries played a positive role.
In the end, scientific expertise and political wisdom (owing to the Draghi government) prevailed, leading to mass vaccination and the implementation of efficient health intervention protocols. Thus, Europe as a positive paradigm, too, a good role model for the world, and not only in connection to the health emergency, but also owing to its ability to address the following financial and social consequences, amid abrupt emergencies and long-term strategies, through the Next Generation Recovery Fund.
Thus, we circle back to time, to how important it is to have the “time to plant” – time dedicated to the creation of a new and improved political and social landscape; time that calls for wisdom, reflection, far-sightedness rather than ephemeral or fleeting moments that preclude memory and planning.
On the pages of the Corriere della Sera (Sunday 4 September), Sabino Cassese rightfully cautions us, once more, about the damage caused by a political rhetoric affected by the immediacy of opinion polls and the pursuit of consensus, by ‘likes’ on social media, which represent the exact opposite of reflection and insight. Harmful hastily conceived politics, the heedless promises of populist propaganda, the rashness of people inciting reckless and superficial feelings rather than responsible reasoning – a vicious circle that threatens to dishearten Italy, and as such its chances to react to the crisis and keep on growing. Indeed, current proposals to increase public debt in order to tackle the energy crisis and the forthcoming recession are an intolerable example of this.
It’s precisely in the middle of such an uproarious electoral campaign that Alcide De Gasperi’s wise words are worth remembering (“A politician looks to the next election, a statistician to the next generation”) and reiterate how the great issues we are facing today, from the environment to energy self-sufficiency and the preservation of our democratic values, must be addressed through both short-term responses to emergencies and long-term strategies – an approach that Europe, bolstered by its culture and democracy, must be able to apply at its best.
This is the call, loud and clear, that comes from enterprises concerned about the cost of energy, inflation, recession and the threat of social rifts, and which are looking at the EU for guidance.
Indeed, to major Italian companies the European market represents an opportunity for international expansion, via profitable value chains, quality manufacturing and high-tech services. The Euro is the key currency. EU institutions, from those in Brussels to the ECB, are the cornerstones on which to build investment and development policies. And European values, from the aforementioned liberal democracy to the culture of an open, competitive and well-regulated market, provide ideals and interests that shape expansion choices. In brief, to businesses, Europe means identity, opportunities and a way to attain, after years of pandemic and crisis, a new era based on confidence and environmental and social sustainable development, a path to competitiveness that begins in Europe, but only through solidarity and social inclusion.
In this “new paradigm”, characterised by a transition from a capitalism ruled by shareholders values (stock profits and prices) to one shaped by stakeholders values (mindful of employees, consumers, suppliers, the communities on which enterprises are built), Italian companies are in the lead, a position achieved over time thanks to vision and responsibility, combining technological with social innovation, productivity and care for the community. In these times of recession, these are companies that can do without a political crisis and a loss of values caused by short-sighted sovereignism and populism, which will cast doubts over their role and quality on global markets.
These are, indeed, the opinions of those who well know the strengths and weaknesses of the Italian industrial world, situated in the wide production region lying within the “A1-A4” motorways (loaded with people and goods and framing a key manufacturing area between Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia and the north-east), as well as in other territories (from the Marche region to the many productive territories that are also beginning to characterise southern areas such as the Campania region, Apulia and Sicily) where, even in times of crisis, enterprise has shown to be extraordinarily lively. This is a world that has suffered from the irresponsible crisis in which, last July, the government led by Mario Draghi – the greatest internationally prestigious figure that Italy can boast of – and President Sergio Mattarella has been plunged into. A world that is now all the more concerned about safeguarding values and development interests, as well as possible political rifts between Italy, Brussels and the West.
Setting populist and sovereignist notions aside, the point of reference for the Italian industrial world is still the document drafted by the General Council of territorial entrepreneurial institution Confindustria last July, listing 18 key points to be considered by the future government, such as open markets, dialogue, central position in the Mediterranean area, attention paid to productivity and competitiveness, a balance in public finances, investments in infrastructure, both material and immaterial (education, culture, long-term training, etc.). Back to the Ecclesiastes – this is a time to “gather stones”, a time for sustainable development, a time to create opportunities for the next generations. In other words, a time for responsible behaviour.
In difficult and controversial times, rereading the classics always proves to be a useful activity – such as rereading the Ecclesiastes, and see what they have to say about ‘time’, to remind ourselves that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens/… a time to plant and a time to unroot/… a time to scatter stone and a time to gather them/… a time to tear and a time to mend/… a time for war and a time for peace”.
Nowadays, in these times of uncertainty and “risk society”, amidst environmental and social crises and geopolitical upheaval, pandemics that are still ongoing and recessions that ominously loom, it’s time for “gathering scattered stones”, for critical thinking and historical awareness, and, at the same time, for introducing new policies that will allow us to identify criteria and actions useful to “rethink globalisation” and create new and better opportunities for sustainable development.
In other words, we need to bring about “a time to mend”, as suggested by the Ecclesiastes, reiterating the values of a Europe founded on liberal democracy, a market economy, inclusion and welfare, republican principles that demand both rights and duties and an attitude inspired by discussion and dialogue.
A Europe that was able to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic better than Russia, China and the United States did (and, here in Italy, in a particularly effective manner, too – despite dark moments, failures, rifts and mistakes). All thanks to health systems that, in spite of their many differences, succeeded nonetheless in bringing together the inclusive strength of the public sector and the efficiency of the private sector, as well as high-quality collaborations between research institutes and life sciences companies. And all in all, though polluted by fake news, opportunist populist politicians, no-vax biases and a lot of oversimplified, and often grossly aggressive, hubbub on social media, even public opinion vagaries played a positive role.
In the end, scientific expertise and political wisdom (owing to the Draghi government) prevailed, leading to mass vaccination and the implementation of efficient health intervention protocols. Thus, Europe as a positive paradigm, too, a good role model for the world, and not only in connection to the health emergency, but also owing to its ability to address the following financial and social consequences, amid abrupt emergencies and long-term strategies, through the Next Generation Recovery Fund.
Thus, we circle back to time, to how important it is to have the “time to plant” – time dedicated to the creation of a new and improved political and social landscape; time that calls for wisdom, reflection, far-sightedness rather than ephemeral or fleeting moments that preclude memory and planning.
On the pages of the Corriere della Sera (Sunday 4 September), Sabino Cassese rightfully cautions us, once more, about the damage caused by a political rhetoric affected by the immediacy of opinion polls and the pursuit of consensus, by ‘likes’ on social media, which represent the exact opposite of reflection and insight. Harmful hastily conceived politics, the heedless promises of populist propaganda, the rashness of people inciting reckless and superficial feelings rather than responsible reasoning – a vicious circle that threatens to dishearten Italy, and as such its chances to react to the crisis and keep on growing. Indeed, current proposals to increase public debt in order to tackle the energy crisis and the forthcoming recession are an intolerable example of this.
It’s precisely in the middle of such an uproarious electoral campaign that Alcide De Gasperi’s wise words are worth remembering (“A politician looks to the next election, a statistician to the next generation”) and reiterate how the great issues we are facing today, from the environment to energy self-sufficiency and the preservation of our democratic values, must be addressed through both short-term responses to emergencies and long-term strategies – an approach that Europe, bolstered by its culture and democracy, must be able to apply at its best.
This is the call, loud and clear, that comes from enterprises concerned about the cost of energy, inflation, recession and the threat of social rifts, and which are looking at the EU for guidance.
Indeed, to major Italian companies the European market represents an opportunity for international expansion, via profitable value chains, quality manufacturing and high-tech services. The Euro is the key currency. EU institutions, from those in Brussels to the ECB, are the cornerstones on which to build investment and development policies. And European values, from the aforementioned liberal democracy to the culture of an open, competitive and well-regulated market, provide ideals and interests that shape expansion choices. In brief, to businesses, Europe means identity, opportunities and a way to attain, after years of pandemic and crisis, a new era based on confidence and environmental and social sustainable development, a path to competitiveness that begins in Europe, but only through solidarity and social inclusion.
In this “new paradigm”, characterised by a transition from a capitalism ruled by shareholders values (stock profits and prices) to one shaped by stakeholders values (mindful of employees, consumers, suppliers, the communities on which enterprises are built), Italian companies are in the lead, a position achieved over time thanks to vision and responsibility, combining technological with social innovation, productivity and care for the community. In these times of recession, these are companies that can do without a political crisis and a loss of values caused by short-sighted sovereignism and populism, which will cast doubts over their role and quality on global markets.
These are, indeed, the opinions of those who well know the strengths and weaknesses of the Italian industrial world, situated in the wide production region lying within the “A1-A4” motorways (loaded with people and goods and framing a key manufacturing area between Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia and the north-east), as well as in other territories (from the Marche region to the many productive territories that are also beginning to characterise southern areas such as the Campania region, Apulia and Sicily) where, even in times of crisis, enterprise has shown to be extraordinarily lively. This is a world that has suffered from the irresponsible crisis in which, last July, the government led by Mario Draghi – the greatest internationally prestigious figure that Italy can boast of – and President Sergio Mattarella has been plunged into. A world that is now all the more concerned about safeguarding values and development interests, as well as possible political rifts between Italy, Brussels and the West.
Setting populist and sovereignist notions aside, the point of reference for the Italian industrial world is still the document drafted by the General Council of territorial entrepreneurial institution Confindustria last July, listing 18 key points to be considered by the future government, such as open markets, dialogue, central position in the Mediterranean area, attention paid to productivity and competitiveness, a balance in public finances, investments in infrastructure, both material and immaterial (education, culture, long-term training, etc.). Back to the Ecclesiastes – this is a time to “gather stones”, a time for sustainable development, a time to create opportunities for the next generations. In other words, a time for responsible behaviour.