THEItaly is a suspended country between past and the future, trapped in a “mediality” that promises neither great upturns nor irreversible catastrophes. In 58th Censis Report on the social situation of the country, presented on Friday 6 December 2024, an increasingly disillusioned and divided Italy emerges, with a growing distrust towards its historical values and a culture in sharp decline. The country seems to be moving in a limbo, where the hope of progress gives way to resignation.
Despite the long period of recession, Italy has not experienced a total collapse, but neither has it been able to make that leap towards economic and social progress. In the last twenty years, the disposable income per capita decreased by 7%, and the net wealth per person fell by 5,5% between 2014 and 2024. The middle class it falls apart, and theanti-Westernism gains ground: 66% of Italians blame the West for the ongoing conflicts, while 71% fear that the EU will face an irreversible decline without radical reforms. The traditional flags of democracy, Europeanism and Atlanticism now seem to be waving feebly, above a sea of uncertainties.
Italy in Crisis: Ready for Change or Trapped in Ignorance?
The country's mutation is not only political or economic, but also cultural. Italy is in first place in Europe for citizenship acquisition, but the question remains: are we ready for this transformation? According to the Censis report, the answer is no. In a country where 19% of Italians confuse Giuseppe Mazzini with a politician of the First Republic, one in two ignores the beginning of the French Revolution, and 41,1% confuse Gabriele d'Annunzio with the poet of the Infinite, the cultural deficiencies are evident. But it doesn't end there: 35,1% consider Eugenio Montale a potential Prime Minister and 32% think that the Sistine Chapel was frescoed by Giotto or Leonardo Da Vinci. These gaps are worrying, but even more insidious are the prejudices that thrive in a climate of ignorance growing. For example, 20% of Italians believe that Jews control global finance, while 13% associate intelligence with ethnic factors.
Economy Stalled: Where Has the Progress Gone?
The economic situation remains equally stagnant. Despite the increase of one and a half million employed compared to the most critical periods of the pandemic, Italy remains at the rear of the European rankings for employment rate. If the Italian employment rate were aligned with the European average, there would be 3 million more workers. But the numbers are not deceiving: theeconomy doesn't take off, with a GDP growing by only 0,5%. growth remains fragile, supported only by public debt, and the gap between Italy and Europe in terms of productivity continues to widen.
Youth on the run and growing poverty
To make matters worse, the young they continue to seek their fortune at theabroad. Between 2013 and 2022, over 350 thousand Italians between the ages of 25 and 34 left the country, and the percentage of graduates among them increased dramatically, from 30,5% in 2013 to 50,6% in 2022. For those who remain, however, the reality is far from rosy: 51,8% of young people suffer from anxiety o trough and 32,7% had experiences of attacks of panic. Economic and social difficulties are also reflected in the mental health of the new generations, exacerbating a condition of discomfort that seems to grow every year. The disillusionment is evident: 85,5% of young people express distrust in the future, convinced that climbing the social ladder is now an arduous undertaking.
As if that wasn't enough, the poverty continues to increase, with 27,2% of Italians at risk of poverty before social transfers, and public subsidies are not sufficient to stop this trend.
Healthcare in crisis and pensions at risk
On the welfare front, the situation is equally dramatic. The work sanitary, now in trouble, forces 62% of Italians to postpone medical visits or tests due to long waiting lists. grocery . private has risen by 23% in the last ten years, a sign that more and more people are turning to private facilities, but at a cost that only the wealthiest can afford. And when we talk about pensions, the reality is even more disturbing: 75% of Italians, especially the youngest, have no hope of having an adequate pension when they leave work.
Immigration and Identity: A Never-Ending Debate
The question migratory It is another breaking point, with Italy first in the EU for number of citizenships granted, but the debate on "Italianness" is increasingly heated. More than half of Italians (57,4%) believe that l'national identity must remain unchanged, fueling a perception of insecurity. Despite the crime rate down, 38,3% of Italians feel threatened by migrants, and hostility is growing towards those belonging to different religions (21,8%) or ethnic groups (21,5%). Fear is also reflected in the growing number of legally owned firearms, with 1,7 million Italians owning a gun and 3,7 million members of their families having access to one.
Italy: Wealth in the Hands of the Elderly, the Future to the Young?
On the social and demographic front, Italy is at a crossroads. The falling birth rate andpopulation ageing are increasingly concentrating the wealth in the hands of older generations: today, they hold over 58% of household net wealth. While this transfer of wealth may seem like an opportunity for young people, it could slow down economic dynamism, reducing risk appetite and making Italy's climb up the global economic ladder even more difficult.
Despite everything, the hope could reside in the young, who show more marked collective values than in the past and are concerned about the environment and a sustainable future. However, their education and economic difficulties remain significant obstacles; the feeling of economic and cultural precariousness remains there, heavy as a boulder. Italy thus remains trapped in a circle of social, cultural and economic concerns, unable to find that push towards rebirth.
