SAN MARINO. There is heavy air on Titan. We are facing the worst political and economic crisis that the child was between Romagna and the Marche has ever lived. San Marino in the last six months, was cornered by the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giulio Tremonti, who seems to have organized in every detail what looks more and more to an embargo.
A showdown without even the thrill of the challenge. Too easy to blame a country so small and heavily dependent the Italian economy. Yet we have gone down by heavy boots: first the tax shelter, capable of draining five billion euro in less than one year from the coffers of San Marino, then the decree incentives, rather than encourage, disadvantage and makes collaboration between companies disproportionately disadvantage Italian and San Marino. Not to mention the now daily incursions "accidental" the Italian army and the many legal actions against companies in San Marino.
shots in the face of another attack by a fighter category. All too easy.
The response of the small republic, however, was swift, and once that has become aware of being in a condition too disadvantaged, has handed in their weapons, erasing the secret bank account, joint-stock companies, and allowing the automatic exchange of tax information . They are the first steps, but we must assume that before today were unthinkable things.
All this, however, was not sufficient to reopen a dialogue. Tremonti is not satisfied, and in the face of requests for political meetings and agreed by the Government of San Marino, responded with requests for judicial requests and "raid" of the guard di finanza al confine di stato.
Ricapitolando, siamo ad un passo dall’assistere al collasso del sistema economico sammarinese, che a dispetto del fango gettatogli contro dai media italiani, per anni è stato motore di un’economia finanziaria che ha favorito e aiutato una vasta area territoriale limitrofa all’antica repubblica. Un crollo di questa portata, avrebbe ripercussioni anche in queste aree, non certo solo a San Marino.
E’ proprio per questi motivi che nelle ultime settimane mi sono permesso di proporre attraverso i miei articoli un’inversione di tendenza. Un cambiamento nell’indirizzo policy of the country that could have the strength to raise the image of San Marino and at the same time, it would be an important starting point for a new economic development.
I'm talking about support through incentives and new laws in what is called "Alternative Economics". An economic system that is no longer based on a logic of pure profit, but more ethical. More attentive to social development as well as financial. It seems utopian to propose a change of this magnitude in San Marino, but besides that a provocation, it wants to be a concrete proposal.
To make it so, I sought evidence in companies and associations that are already living this kind of experience managing to maintain an ethical line and simultaneously develop a flourishing economy and capable of producing well-being. What I propose below, is the second interview that I collected. The first, made Peter Luppi of "The Eye of Riciclone , you can find it in my blog or information portals on San Marino.
The testimony I offer today, we are offered by Francesco Gesualdi of " Center New Development Model. " Let me explain to him what it is.
D. Can you briefly describe what the project they participate?
R. The activities that coordinate is called "New Model Centre for Development and aims to identify the mechanisms that cause depletion and environmental degradation on a planetary level with the intent to disseminate to the general public and indicate what can we do to build a better world equitable and sustainable. Our proposals include both individual choices that system. At the individual level suggest the critical consumption, simplicity, reduction and recycling. At the system level we propose the strengthening of public economy and the expansion of DIY and the neighborhood economy, strengthening the local economy, strengthening of fiscal instruments to guide the choices of businesses and consumers in a ' perspective of sustainability and environmental protection.
D. How and when this project started, and on what grounds?
R. The activity started in 1985 by a group of families who want to play more vigorously its own social and political commitment. We wanted to understand how 15% of the world population appropriates 75% of all land resources condemning three billion people, half the world's population to abject poverty. An even more pressing when we consider that the planet is in a comatose state both on the resources that the accumulation of pollutants. The environmental crisis makes us understand that to build a more equitable world is not enough to review the rules of trade and finance, but it is necessary that the wealthy are willing to review ail its production system and consumption, in a word, this particular model development because it starts to be competition for scarce environmental resources and space.
D. What are your main activities? How you would define as "advocates or promoters of an alternative economy?"
R. Our activities can be divided into three strands. First we carry out research on social behavior and environmental responsibility to give consumers the information necessary to be able to exercise their right and duty of responsible consumers. Disclose the results of our research both through print, the book is best-known guide to critical consumption, or through the website impreseallasbarra.org. Secondly we develop proposals for sustainability-oriented lifestyle. Not only energy saving, reduction of unnecessary and harmful consumption, waste reduction and recycling, but also adherence to joint purchasing groups that aim to provide healthy products to zero km from producers who are inspired by principles of respect for environmental and social if not solidarity. Thirdly, developing ideas about the changes to be introduced at the system level to combine simplicity, full employment and guarantee of basic needs for all. In this sense, we are advocates of economy alternativa non più basata sulla crescita infinita, ma sul senso del limite e della solidarietà collettiva.
D. Pensa che lo sviluppo di un’economia non basata unicamente su logiche di profitto ma rivolta anche verso uno sviluppo sociale sia realmente possibile? Attualmente cosa ne frena l’espansione secondo lei?
R. Se proseguiremo lungo la strada del profitto e dell’accumulazione andremo verso il caos governato da migrazioni di massa, guerre, sovvertimenti climatici e ambientali. Il cambiamento verso l’economia del bene comune e dei diritti non più an option, but an obligation if we want to save this planet and humankind. The transition is possible provided that we recover a sense of fairness, the sense of satiety and trust in the best part of the human person. It is true that man only follows the individualistic instinct. Throughout history he has learned that just can not get everything he needs, there needs the other. I get the strong subjugating the weak, but the weak have no other way if not cooperation and solidarity. This is the simple truth that we discover and we can only do that if we rid ourselves of the dogma of the uncontrolled market, which is the main brake to change.
Q. Do you think that this kind of alternative economy has the potential to generate widespread prosperity that the same (at least in part of the world) provides the financial economy now?
R. The problem is what the well-being. This system strives to make us believe that welfare is measured by the quantity of goods that we produce each year, the famous GDP and the amount of things that we throw in the shopping cart. But this is not healthy, but Benavie conceiving the human person as a drum vacuum cleaner, a digestive tract with his mouth wide open to swallow all that advertising imposes an anal sphincter and looking off to expel any waste they produce in transit. But more wealth does not mean more happiness. Not only cars that man lives, but also relationships and it is the loss of relationships that makes us less happy. Always forget that man is not just a body to meet, but also the affective dimension, social, spiritual. The real being is a situation in which all these dimensions are met in harmony. And here is understood as the benvivere harmony with oneself, with others, with nature, a condition that is reached with the barrels of oil, but with a different organization of living, the city, time, work and society. The problem is not wealth, but the satisfaction and security personnel can be reached with less work, more participation, more equity, more environmental protection, more culture, more collective solidarity, more economic stability.
D. He knows the state of San Marino? What consideration has?
R. There have been a couple of times, I've met people who have my own ideals of equity, sustainability and solidarity. But I also know that based its wealth on the retrieval of funds attracted by low tax rates, privacy and customs facilities. Typical practices of tax havens that give hospitality to those who want to secure funds obtained illegally, those who want to evade taxes in their own country, those who want to launder money. As are a refuge for the poor economy, tax havens cause serious damage to the international community. Needing to change their banking laws and mobilize other sources of wealth that contribute to the growth of equitable economic relations and solidarity.
D. The Republic of San Marino is a Economic and social microcosm within Italy. What do you think seeing this state develop its economy based on ethical and moral similar to those of the so-called "Alternative Economics"?
R. I would think that its people have achieved great social and cultural elevatura. Extremely important to set a precedent which demonstrates that change is possible. We need concrete examples to look at, because the absence of testing positive is often interpreted as a sign that the alternative is impossible. Whenever an idea is made out of the size utopia, which means not all, and enters into the realm of possible. This is why all forms of experimentation, no matter how small it is of great importance. To do this we need to grow the joint buying groups, municipalities virtuous, fair trade, networks of economic solidarity, participatory budgets, and any other form of experimentation with good politics and good economics, not to create the happy isles, but to infect and to build trust.
D. Often it is alleged systems of alternative economy, their dependence on public funding. This type of concern is primarily concerned organizations of the "Third sector "that looks like Don Giacomo Panizza (Community Project South), are not without problems. You speak of "popular economy" that diverge from such considerations. What do you think are the prospects?
R. The theme of the political leadership understood as driving forces of party-building and are aimed to get into institutions, and possibly govern them, is extremely complex. We need a new institutional policy, but the forces which must face are large, so it can succeed only if it is supported by a great will of the people that today seems missing. In the absence of a strong will of the people, any new entry in the buildings in danger of being sucked into the logic of power making it equal to the others. So I think we need to devote much energy to the growth of a new socio-economic culture and if we agree to enter into the buildings we must ask ourselves continually to ensure that you feel while remaining faithful to the principles of method and content which justified our appearance on institutional scene.
Thank you for your willingness Francesco Gesualdi and I hope his testimony will serve to make us understand what today may seem utopian, is nothing but opportunity.
SM
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