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Berlusconism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berlusconism
Berlusconismo
LeaderSilvio Berlusconi
Founded18 January 1994
Dissolved12 June 2023
Ideology
Political positionCentre-right to right-wing
National affiliationForza Italia (1994)
The People of Freedom
Forza Italia (2013)

Berlusconism (Italian: berlusconismo) was a term used in the Western media and by some Italian analysts to describe the political positions of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. In general, Berlusconism could be reassumed as a mix of conservatism,[1] populism,[2] liberism,[3] and anti-communism.[4]

Other observers described it as more of a personality-driven populist movement, where "a billionaire businessman and television personality" pledges to use his unique skills to "represent the interests of ordinary people" against the political establishment; and where the "scandals, investigations, and trials" that follow him were dismissed by his passionately loyal base of supporters as evidence that he was "the most persecuted" person in history.[5]

Origins and features

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Berlusconi in his private jet aircraft in the 1980s

The term "Berlusconism" dates back to the 1980s, when Silvio Berlusconi was an entrepreneur not yet engaged in politics. At the time, it was used with a strongly positive connotation as a synonym for entrepreneurial optimism, referring to a business-minded spirit that is not discouraged by difficulties and remains confident in its ability to solve problems.[6] Following Berlusconi's entry into politics in January 1994, the term underwent a significant shift in meaning within journalistic and political discourse.

Logo of House of Freedoms coalition, with Berlusconi's name prominently featured in the center.

According to the Italian definition given by the online vocabulary of the Encyclopedia Institute, Berlusconism has a wide range of meanings, all having their origins in the figure of Berlusconi and the political movement inspired by him: the substantive refers not only to the "thought movement",[7] but also to the "social phenomenon"[7] and even the phenomenon "of custom"[7] bound to his entrepreneurial and political figure. The term Berlusconism is also used to refer to a certain laissez-faire vision supported by him, not only of the economy and the markets but also with reference to the same policy.[7]

The emergence of Berlusconism as a social and political phenomenon has been linked by some analysts to the so-called "Italian anomaly", namely the coexistence of structural weaknesses affecting various aspects of Italian life, from society to politics and the economy (such as political patronage, clientelism, nepotism, and double standards). According to one scholar of contemporary Italian history, this relationship should be understood in the sense that Berlusconism is an expression and consequence of this anomaly, rather than its cause.[8] In a similarly critical and broad sense, the term has been used by political scientist and historian Marco Revelli, former co-founder of Lotta Continua, to denote a style of politics and an underlying culture of self-legitimized wealth that permeates large segments of the nation, including much of the center-left leadership. In Revelli's analysis, there is an explicit parallel with the description of fascism as the "autobiography of the nation" by anti-fascist thinker Piero Gobetti, insofar as the movement of Benito Mussolini and Berlusconi himself would represent the most visible manifestations of deeply rooted negative tendencies within Italian society. French writer and journalist Jacques Martin wrote in an article published in The Guardian in 2006: "Berlusconism is the most serious attack on Western democracy since 1945; a phenomenon that cannot be ignored."

Berlusconi speaking at the EPP congress in Warsaw

According to his political opponents and business rivals, Berlusconism is only a form of demagogic populism, comparable to fascism, stressing the fact that Berlusconi declared his admiration for Benito Mussolini,[9] although he criticised the racial Fascist laws and the alliance with Nazi Germany, referring to himself as pro-Israel.[10][11] In 2013, he returned to calling Mussolini a good leader whose biggest mistake was signing up to exterminate the Jews.[12] His supporters instead compare Berlusconism to the French Gaullism and the Argentine Peronism.[13]

In January 2007, Berlusconism was the subject of a conference organized by the Liberal Foundation, close to Forza Italia, with the aim of reclaiming the term in a particularly positive light. In a letter sent on 27 September 2008 by Sandro Bondi (Minister for Culture in the fourth Berlusconi government) to the newspaper la Repubblica, he wrote: "The so-called Berlusconism was first and foremost a response to the crisis of the Italian political system, which coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall and with Tangentopoli, and with the recognition of the inability/impossibility of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) to transform itself into a genuinely reformist and European-style political force. Secondly, Berlusconism has represented and continues to represent the highest attempt to modernize the economic and institutional structures of our country, based not on an ideology, but on a system of genuinely liberal and reformist values, which have also influenced European politics as a whole."[14]

Political positions

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Berlusconi joking with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Jokes and gestures became key parts of his communicative style.

Berlusconi defined himself and by extension Berlusconism as moderate,[15] liberal and pro-free trade (liberismo),[16] but he was often also described as a populist or a conservative leader.[17][18] Berlusconism was also described as liberal-conservative,[19] or conservative-liberal,[20] but he was sometimes associated with right-wing populism.[21][22][17] After his resignation in 2011, Berlusconi became increasingly Eurosceptical[23] and he was often critical of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.[24][25]

A feature of Berlusconi's leadership tactics was to use the party as a means to gain power (with the party described as a "light party" because of its lack of a complex internal structure).[16] This is decidedly comparable to the political tactics used by Charles de Gaulle in France. Another feature of great importance is the emphasis on a "liberal revolution", publicised and summarised by the "Contract with the Italians" of 2001.[16] A strong reformism was added to these pillars, principally of the form of the Italian state and the constitution[16] in favour of moving from a parliamentary system to a semi-presidential system,[26] a higher election threshold, the abolition of the Senate, the halving in size of the Chamber of Deputies, the abolition of the provinces and the reform of the judiciary, with separation of the careers between magistrates and magistrates's civil responsibility, by Berlusconi considered impartial.[26] Berlusconi declared himself to be persecuted by the judiciary, having undergone 34 processes,[27] accusing them of being manipulated by the political left and comparing himself to Enzo Tortora as a victim of a miscarriage of justice. More recently, Berlusconi declared himself in favour of civil unions.[28][29][30]

During his long-time tenure, many critics claimed that a new kind of cult of personality was in place, favored by Berlusconi's three national television networks and newspapers.[31] Moreover, the hymn of Berlusconi's movements was Meno male che Silvio c'è, literally "Thank goodness for Silvio".[32][33] In addition to that, Berlusconi often described himself as the Jesus Christ of Italian politics.[34][35] These attitudes were seen by public opinion as clear examples of the new political style that Berlusconi brought into Italy, focused on the leader's charisma, cult of personality and media domination.[36]

Comparisons to other leaders

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Berlusconi with Vladimir Putin in 2001. The two leaders shared a close personal relationship.

A number of writers and political commentators consider Berlusconi's political success a precedent for the 2016 election of real estate tycoon Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States,[37][38][39] with most noting Berlusconi's panned prime minister tenure and therefore making the comparison in dismay. Roger Cohen of The New York Times argued: "Widely ridiculed, endlessly written about, long unscathed by his evident misogyny and diverse legal travails, Berlusconi proved a Teflon politician. [...] Nobody who knows Berlusconi and has watched the rise and rise of Donald Trump can fail to be struck by the parallels."[40] In The Daily Beast, Barbie Latza Nadeau wrote: "If Americans are wondering just what a Trump presidency would look like, they only need to look at the traumatized remains of Italy after Berlusconi had his way."[41]During the 2016 United States election, Politico described Berlusconi as the closest parallel to Trump in a historical world leader.[42] In a piece written for Slate and published in April 2017, Lorenzo Newman noted the similarities in the career trajectories between the two.[43]

In 2015, Andrej Babiš, the then Finance Minister and future Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, was compared to Berlusconi due to his media ownership, business activities, political influence, and legal problems with a prison sentence hanging over him. Foreign Policy drew parallels between the two, labelling Babiš with the nickname "Babisconi".[44] British historian Perry Anderson wrote that, despite Berlusconi's reputation as an enfant terrible of the European right, his actual policy record places him "to the left of Bill Clinton, who built much of his career in America on policies—delivering executions in Arkansas, scything welfare in Washington—that would be unthinkable for any Prime Minister in Italy".[45] Opponents have been critical of Nabil Karoui's consolidation of the Tunisian media landscape and the intentions of his charitable activities, often referring to him as the "Tunisian Berlusconi".[46] Other mass media owners like Cem Uzan[47] or Pavol Rusko[48] have been compared to him.

References

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  1. ^ Berlusconi: «voglio fare la rivoluzione liberale», e noi ancora ci crediamo...
  2. ^ Berlusconi, Italy's original populist, fades from popularity
  3. ^ [L'Italia di Berlusconi, Indro Montanelli, page 40, 41]
  4. ^ Pasquale De Marte (2019-05-22). "Berlusconi vuole fermare i comunisti: 'I miei, i governi migliori della storia'". pt:Blasting News (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  5. ^ SERHAN, YASMEEN (March 2021). "What History Tells Us Will Happen to Trumpism". The Atlantic. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  6. ^ Floriano De Angeli, "L'Europeo", n. 49, 1993
  7. ^ a b c d «berlusconismo» s. m., lemma del Vocabolario Treccani online, dal sito dell'Istituto dell'Enciclopedia italiana Treccani
  8. ^ Italy toda. The sick man of Europe. Paul Corner
  9. ^ Owen, Richard (14 April 2008). "Profile: the irrepressible Silvio Berlusconi". The Times. London. Retrieved 16 April 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  10. ^ "The strange relationship between Silvio Berlusconi and Italian Jews | +972 Magazine". 972mag.com. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Pro-Israel Berlusconi loses in Italy | Jewish Telegraphic Agency". jta.org. 17 April 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Berlusconi defends 'good' Mussolini". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Il Berlusconismo è come Gollismo: durerà a lungo, non è passeggero". claudioscajola.it. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  14. ^ Il governo? Attua la politica del fare Governo Berlusconi
  15. ^ Berlusconi: "Dialogo? Io sono il più moderato di tutti!" Archived 2014-01-09 at the Wayback Machine, Affaritaliani, 11 febbraio 2009
  16. ^ a b c d Van Herpen, M. (2013). Putinism: The Slow Rise of a Radical Right Regime in Russia. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 204. ISBN 9781137282804. Retrieved 1 January 2015.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ a b De Mita:"Berlusconi populista e antieuropeista come Grillo" » IRPINIANEWS.IT Archived 28 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ "Per Fini, Berlusconi è un conservatore… Intanto viene fischiato alla commemorazione di Almirante". www.falcodestro.it. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014.
  19. ^ G. Orsina, ed. (2014). Berlusconism and Italy: A Historical Interpretation. Springer.
  20. ^ Emidio Diodato, Federico Niglia, ed. (2018). Berlusconi 'The Diplomat': Populism and Foreign Policy in Italy. Springer. p. 162. ISBN 9783319972626. Berlusconi's vision retained a pro-European conservative-liberal matrix.
  21. ^ Liang, Christina (2016), Europe for the Europeans: The Foreign and Security Policy of the Populist Radical Right, Routledge, p. 187
  22. ^ Feffer, John (23 November 2016). "What Europe Can Teach Us about Trump". Foreign Policy in Focus.
  23. ^ "Quegli economisti euroscettici (proprio come Berlusconi)" (in Italian). Il Foglio. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  24. ^ "Can Berlusconi make a eurosceptic comeback?". la Repubblica/The Guardian. Presseurop. 26 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  25. ^ "Berlusconi turns Eurosceptic in bid to return to power". City A.M. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  26. ^ a b "Internazionale » Riforme » Berlusconi: nuova Costituzione, riforma Giustizia e Colle eletto". internazionale.it. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  27. ^ "Tutti i processi a carico di Silvio Berlusconi - LISTA | Panorama". news.panorama.it. Archived from the original on 8 May 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  28. ^ "Idem: "Presto ddl sui matrimoni gay, anche Berlusconi è favorevole"". Il Messaggero. 10 May 2013. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  29. ^ "Berlusconi apre alle unioni gay (perché Monti tace). Pdl: "Coerente"". il Fatto Quotidiano. 7 January 2013. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  30. ^ Sergio Rame (8 January 2013). "Il Cav apre ai matrimoni gay e fa scoppiare un acceso dibattito". il Giornale. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  31. ^ ""Silvio forever sarà, Silvio è genialità" il culto della personalità diventa canzone – Politica – Repubblica.it". repubblica.it.
  32. ^ Meno male che Silvio c'è video ufficiale inno campagna PDL on YouTube
  33. ^ "Berlusconi: vent'anni fa la "discesa in campo"". 100 passi journal. January 27, 2014.
  34. ^ "BBC NEWS – Europe – Berlusconi says 'I am like Jesus'". bbc.co.uk. February 13, 2006.
  35. ^ "Top 10 Worst Silvio Berlusconi Gaffes". Time. December 8, 2012.
  36. ^ "Il culto della Personalità in Italia". Giovani.it fourm. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2015-04-16.
  37. ^ Jebreal, Rula (September 21, 2015). "Donald Trump is America's Silvio Berlusconi". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  38. ^ Berlusconi, David (November 10, 2016). "What Donald Trump and Silvio Berlusconi have in common". Economist. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  39. ^ Foot, John (October 20, 2016). "We've seen Donald Trump before – his name was Silvio Berlusconi". The Guardian. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  40. ^ Cohen, Roger (March 14, 2016). "The Trump-Berlusconi Syndrome". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  41. ^ Nadeau, Barbie Latza (February 28, 2016). "Italy Elected Its Trump—and It Was a Fiasco". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  42. ^ Marchetti, Silvia (7 April 2016). "In Trump, Italians Recognize a Familiar Orange Face". Politico. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  43. ^ Newman, Lorenzo (3 April 2017). "Bunga Bunga, American Style". Slate. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  44. ^ "Now the Czechs Have an Oligarch Problem, Too". Foreign Policy. 10 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  45. ^ Anderson, Perry (September–October 2002). "Force and Consent". The New Left Review (17) 2407: 5–30. doi:10.64590/lwr.
  46. ^ Mathieu Galtier (25 August 2019). "Tunisie : le favori de la présidentielle arrêté à trois semaines du scrutin". Libération (in French). Retrieved 28 August 2019..
  47. ^ "Turkey's Berlusconi?". The Economist. 6 May 2003. Retrieved 10 February 2017..
  48. ^ "Journalistengewerkschaft warnt vor "Slowakischen Berlusconi" Rusko". Der Standard (in German). 30 June 2002. Retrieved 24 November 2022..

Further reading

[edit]
  • Orsina, Giovanni. Berlusconism and Italy: A Historical Interpretation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014).
  • Diodato, Emidio, and Federico Niglia. Berlusconi 'The Diplomat': Populism and Foreign Policy in Italy (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018).
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