What’s the right role for the State to play in the social innovation agenda? The Italian case

Despite its reputation of dolce vita Italy has never gone through changes without a bloodshed. On Friday a bomb blasted in a high school in Brindisi (Southern Italy) as it meant to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed the leading anti-mafia judges and swept terror amongst citizens.

Then those bombs marked the passage from what the Italians call the First Republic – the democratic system established after WWII – to the Second Republic, the new political system dominated by Berlusconi. As the latter is gone now a new order is emerging and bombs are coming back as well.

This is the dark heart of Italy as the journilist Tobias Jones described it.  Tourists ignore it but Italians are well aware.

I’ve just come back from my 2 weeks trip along that slice of Europe which struggles finding its way in 21st century. In my short trip I could touch that darkness which oppresses every city I visited like bad weather. Deprived of sun and joie de vivre how could anybody bear leaving in a country where nothing seems working properly?

What shocked me the most is the widening gap between an ageing elite in control of everything and new generations dispossed of everything including hope in the future. It’s a divide which is putting a rottening past in route of colission with a future with stunted ambitions.

The country needs a cultural revolution and the public institutions are called to lead it. I’m not clear how this can happen but the State which occupies every corner has to re-energize society starting with young people and foreigners, the only fresh forces in the country.

The Minister Profumo in charge of education launched the national social innovation agenda. Is this a new start for the country reconnecting a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation to public education?

An earthquake followed the bombs. I hope it’s the sign that a new cycle has started for the country and no vested interest can stop it.