Why the English Summer Riots of 2011 Could Never Happen In Italy
I suppose I am lucky that I am English/Italian.
I am lucky in the sense that I see clearly the big differences between Italy and Britain.
Often these differences are hilarious, but this summer in England I witnessed incredible scenes in some of the major cities, and heard all sorts of 'experts' talk a lot of nonsense as to the causes of the looting and violence.
At the time of the riots my Family and I were on holiday near London and my wife who is one hundred percent Italian agreed with me, that this could never have happened in Italy.
Where we live, in the South of Italy there is a lot of poverty, and no social security benefits for people who are poor or out of work; so why is it that Italian people would never stoop to looting and anti-social behaviour? To get the answer you need to go back to a simple playground, and watch how Italian parents and English parents view their children at play.
An Italian mother is never far from her children at play; she is constantly directing them and chastising them for running or sweating too much, or climbing.
Having spent most of the summer cruising the English playgrounds with my young children, I can tell you that English Parents (rich or poor) leave their children to 'find out for themselves.
' To put this more plainly, they show no interest and sit down talking or reading.
Thus from a very early age Italian children are closeted and controlled; they are taught rules and at home are part of a large caring family.
There is no 'let's put the old people in a home,' philosophy in Italy, and generally there could be three or sometimes four generations of a family, living in the same house.
Families know where their children are at all times, and usually these children when fully grown, don't leave home to start their own homes, unless they are getting married, and the process is begun again.
There is hardly any 'youth Culture' and drinking is not an issue.
So what is the difference between Italy and Britain? Family values have been eroded in Britain since the late 1950's, but in Italy there is a continuity that has and probably will never change.
Parental control is the reason why looting could never take place in Italy, and even older family members (I'm talking men and women in their 30's) never shake off the control of 'Mama.
'
I am lucky in the sense that I see clearly the big differences between Italy and Britain.
Often these differences are hilarious, but this summer in England I witnessed incredible scenes in some of the major cities, and heard all sorts of 'experts' talk a lot of nonsense as to the causes of the looting and violence.
At the time of the riots my Family and I were on holiday near London and my wife who is one hundred percent Italian agreed with me, that this could never have happened in Italy.
Where we live, in the South of Italy there is a lot of poverty, and no social security benefits for people who are poor or out of work; so why is it that Italian people would never stoop to looting and anti-social behaviour? To get the answer you need to go back to a simple playground, and watch how Italian parents and English parents view their children at play.
An Italian mother is never far from her children at play; she is constantly directing them and chastising them for running or sweating too much, or climbing.
Having spent most of the summer cruising the English playgrounds with my young children, I can tell you that English Parents (rich or poor) leave their children to 'find out for themselves.
' To put this more plainly, they show no interest and sit down talking or reading.
Thus from a very early age Italian children are closeted and controlled; they are taught rules and at home are part of a large caring family.
There is no 'let's put the old people in a home,' philosophy in Italy, and generally there could be three or sometimes four generations of a family, living in the same house.
Families know where their children are at all times, and usually these children when fully grown, don't leave home to start their own homes, unless they are getting married, and the process is begun again.
There is hardly any 'youth Culture' and drinking is not an issue.
So what is the difference between Italy and Britain? Family values have been eroded in Britain since the late 1950's, but in Italy there is a continuity that has and probably will never change.
Parental control is the reason why looting could never take place in Italy, and even older family members (I'm talking men and women in their 30's) never shake off the control of 'Mama.
'