Unfortunately I didn’t get to see the episode from Australia’s Foreign Correspondent program on Italy and its new political scene. But I can imagine what it was like, as Italy’s image around the world, rightly or wrongly, slowly corrodes.

The program examined the figure of Beppe Grillo, a comedian and significant media figure in the closed hierarchy of Italian politics, who wants to blow apart the established order in Italy and define a new way of communicating and doing politics.

Certainly not always popular, I’d love to see what the program’s conclusions were on such a figure. Grillo is also a pioneer of blogging in Italy, and the Beppe Grillo blog is one of the most visited blogs in Italy, and the world. Unfortunately Grillo sits squarely in the “Italy’s armageddon” camp in terms of the life enjoyed by most Italians, and is also of the unhealthy opinion that anything wrong with Italy is due to its politicians.

On this lifestyle, Lorenzo Codogno, writing in the Telegraph, has argued that if Italy isn’t out of the dark yet, there’s at least light at the end of the economic tunnel. This light is due to the government’s reforms on pensions, taxations, and the slow (I have my fingers crossed!) labour market reform in Italy.

My mum had decided that Italians were deluding themselves about their dolce vita lifestyle, but I think Brits and Americans are more convinced of this, especially those owning villas in Tuscany. Most Italians will happily tell you everything that’s wrong and everything that needs fixing with the country. While the cost of living in Italy is comparable with other Westernised nations, most discontent (and ignorance) is associated with the low wages enjoyed by Italians.

I think an Italian salary survey is required, but I can tell you when the average income of a qualified engineer fetches about 25,000 euros a year if you’re lucky, you know you’re in trouble. I cheerfully wait for a revolution on Milan’s metro with Italians yelling “show me the money”…

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