Opinion of this quote

[Filuwaúrdjan]

"Many Italians feared not communism as an ideology, but what the communists or the post-communists might bring about: honest government. They might have to pay taxes. If you have spent your entire life cultivating personal relationships with those who have power and influence and who can protect you and help you with the endless bureaucratic tasks that plague your life; if you know that no one will investigate too closely if you have built an extension to your home, or built a home where one cannot be built (as is the case with so many houses constructed in Italy); if you know that your fiscal evasions and frauds will be overlooked because "everyone does it" - then, of course, you will be afraid of "the communists", that is to say, of those puritanical, holier-than-thou characters who threatened the foundations of Italian civic culture. To many Italians, nothing, not even the Red Army, is more frightening than good governance or il buon governo."

[Хahar 🤔]

True, with the qualifier "many".

[Hash]

Very true.

[Keystone Phil]

More hatred for the Italians, I see.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

More hatred for the Italians, I see.

For what it's worth, the author of the quote grew up in Italy.

[Keystone Phil]

More hatred for the Italians, I see.

For what it's worth, the author of the quote grew up in Italy.

Oh, good for him. I'm sure he's a self loather. I'm also sure that you got a nice, hearty laugh while reading this, Al. Don't be too jealous.

[Eraserhead]

option 2

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Oh, good for him. I'm sure he's a self loather.

Or someone who supported, more or less, the PCI back in the '80's...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

No, not really.

[Keystone Phil]

Or someone who supported, more or less, the PCI back in the '80's...

Which doesn't negate the idea that he could be a self loather as an Italian. Or is he not even Italian? You said he "grew up" in Italy which means even less.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm sure, friend. You jump at the chance to bash Italians. Your dislike for my kind is pretty well known. Of course he'd love to get a laugh in at the backswards, dishonest, corrupt Italians!

[2952-0-0]

You can substitute that with "China" and "Chinese" and be pretty accurate. Even despite the fact that professed communists run everything.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Which doesn't negate the idea that he could be a self loather as an Italian. Or is he not even Italian? You said he "grew up" in Italy which means even less.

Aha, but that would be telling.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Actually I like Italy and Italians. Just have a strong dislike (yet also fascination) for the political system and how it operates. You should not that I've not said how I voted in this poll.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Hey, if I wanted to do that then I'd have just posted a collection of anecdotes about the Italian civil service

[Keystone Phil]

Actually I like Italy and Italians. Just have a strong dislike (yet also fascination) for the political system and how it operates. You should not that I've not said how I voted in this poll.

Now that's laughable. Just a problem with the political system? Please.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Whose quote is it?

Very true btw, with the added note that with a tweaking of a couple of words (like "communist") the same could apply to Ireland. I think its a Catholic thing.

[Franzl]

I'm sure, friend. You jump at the chance to bash Italians. Your dislike for my kind is pretty well known. Of course he'd love to get a laugh in at the backswards, dishonest, corrupt Italians!

It's amusing how you always complain about people who dislike Italy....but you jump at the chance to always make your hatred of....say.....France....or the Netherlands known. Just a little hypocritical, my friend,

[Keystone Phil]

I'm sure, friend. You jump at the chance to bash Italians. Your dislike for my kind is pretty well known. Of course he'd love to get a laugh in at the backswards, dishonest, corrupt Italians!

It's amusing how you always complain about people who dislike Italy....but you jump at the chance to always make your hatred of....say.....France....or the Netherlands known. Just a little hypocritical, my friend,

Oh, I know. It's really not hypocritical though. I'm defending a country and people near and dear to my heart. If someone wanted to complain about my dislike, say that my commentary is disgusting and defend France and/or The Netherlands, more power to them. They have every right to do so.

[opebo]

I like the quote, and I don't find it to be insulting in the least to Italians.  Who wouldn't prefer a corrupt to a puritanical system?

[Gustaf]

I like the quote, and I don't find it to be insulting in the least to Italians.  Who wouldn't prefer a corrupt to a puritanical system?

But Communism isn't puritanical. It's really just common-sense, centre-right Keynesianism.

[minionofmidas]

That's certainly the only sense that Silvio Berlusconi has ever used the phrase "communists" in.

Not that Central Italy (ie the Commie Region) has been entirely without more of the same kind of governance either, of course.