Italy problems?

gary the great

Just back from Roma, and am thinking of going over to work there in the summer for a few months. I can get by with the language and have a job set up. But thats not what i want to know.

I want to know what are the problems in society that the italians are currently experiencing.
Whilst over there there were a lot of communist party posters and stuff (and i mean everywhere), there were posters rebelling about immigration and i couldnt help but notice graffiti everywhere and terrible driving habits. I just want people to discuss the place and the problems the society i currently experiencing and their views on the issues i mentioned.

Also, would people recommeded living there and what are there experiences?

simu

Take a look at a few Italian newspapers?

The Corinthian

gary the great wrote:

I want to know what are the problems in society that the italians are currently experiencing.
Whilst over there there were a lot of communist party posters and stuff (and i mean everywhere), there were posters rebelling about immigration and i couldnt help but notice graffiti everywhere and terrible driving habits. I just want people to discuss the place and the problems the society i currently experiencing and their views on the issues i mentioned.

Italy’s present problems are, like in much of Europe, economic. Labour laws are such that once you get a full time job there, it’s considered one for life. Unfortunately this has resulted in a grossly uncompetitive workforce and high unemployment, especially amongst the young. As such, many live at home with their parents well into their thirties, families are becoming smaller (your average Italian family seems to favour a husband, wife, one child and four cars - one for each member and an convertible for the summer months) as Italy slowly lurches towards a pension disaster.

As a centre-right premier, Berlusconi could have reformed much of this, but has failed completely. The left, on the other hand, will not attempt to reform it, partially because of trade union influence and also because if they did take power they would most likely spend as much time infighting as anything else.

Immigration is largely a geographical problem, given Italy’s physical proximity to both Albania and Africa. This has added further pressure to the already limited labour market as well as adding to crime (largely from organized Albanian gangs).

Add to this mix a complete loss of faith in the political system (both left and right) and institutions of the State as well as the industrialised north of Italy becoming fed up paying for the south - which is simply not getting any better.

All in all this has resulted in a general sense of pessimism throughout the country, further fuelling the recession. Of course, if you’re already sistemato with a job, then at least in the short term, none of this will make much difference to you.

Also, would people recommeded living there and what are there experiences?

Again, if you have a secure job lined up, I would. Then again, being Italian, I’d be biased.