3) TO DECENTRALISE

De-centralisation is the password of our times. The ways to solve any kinds of problems, including the most complex ones, is to separate and to divide them. In this way each point can be methodically and precisely analysed. Government and Civil Services in the world are doing just the opposite. There are some valid models of federations, for example in Switzerland, that tend towards de-centralisation, but they are too far away from what we mean. Still, it should not be so difficult to think up a system able to replace, gradually and slowly, the Western Party Power. The latter is not such a misfortune compared to the rest of the world. It turns out to be the most valid and democratic system, as even the most close minded can see. However, we are still too far away from a system that expresses the people’s will. To realise de-centralisation 80% of power, as well as responsibilities and opportunities, will have to be given to the local government (the municipalities in Italy). The 20% left, can be kept by central government with the co-ordination of tasks. In this way the municipalities become the heart of the country. The Civil Service would play only an incidental role in the whole matter and would only effect marginally the nation. In case of more municipalities interested in the same subject, the majority, under a central government would control, and make the final decisions.
    With our present system, we are getting just the opposite. I mean we see a Civil Service that refuses to delegate powers. Not even local government are not able to balance the present situation. We are the victims of an enormous and complex bureaucratic machinery with no logic or rational reasons to justify its existence. A bureaucracy that wastes money, even when it is aimed by serious intentions. The fault is of its departments, institutions and proper offices. The complexity of the system allows government officials to steal, making difficult to find the guilty people. With de-centralisation things can only work better. The citizens are interested in a better administration of their territories, because their taxes pay for it. We need to create many independent cells that act as a single body, co-ordinated by a central government. The latter would collect the system resultant actions. Each local government would reach its citizens’ needs, and not influenced by the power of a minority. Everybody will reach his aim, whatever it deserve and what it is able to carry out. Concerning the underdeveloped countries, see the chapter “The Twinning”. Starting from the outskirts and from the smallest town, we will carry out a new system. At the beginning, we will avoid abandoning the older ones, at least until the moment we are aware of its uselessness, being just a duplicate. There is no way to fail, if we will get rid of the old rule when we are confident that the new ones are right. Technical skills have to complete the profile of local government. This new kind of administration has to get involved, in the most meaningless department of the smallest municipality. The old administration will co-exist for a certain period of time, depending on the circumstances. At least, until it will finally reveals its lack of democracy. This way we will obtain a gradual, easy, calm revolution, together with the certainty that we tend towards the good. An extraordinary widespread revolution when we count all the countries and the municipalities involved. Direct Democracy is possible to realise, only for rich counties, where there is a developed technology and telecommunication base. At the opposite, it is quite impossible to realise in underdeveloped or poor countries. But, we should keep in mind, that if the rich world does not find a democratic solution to its problems, it will not be able to help underdeveloped countries. To give an example, the poor masses that are going to the western borders to be stopped there, not being allowed to go in. Neither will find a solution, the pacific UNO missions.

Ottorino Rizzi 1992 e successivi.

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