How I See It

America the Beautiful
Pike's  Peak, Colorado

Today I am writing the blog as an answer to a FaceBook posting.  The posting showed a professor and his presentation to his class on socialism.  He presented as facts many things that are untrue.   

This professor stated that schools in “socialistic countries” turned out students who were ungraded and passed to the next grade with no challenge.   Since I have  lived in Italy for ten years, and I know families who have children.  I would like to discuss what I have seen in Italy so that you know the truth.  

  

I was a teacher for 37 years in America and I take an interest in schooling here in Italy.  I know that the students here are given a great amount of homework and are graded on what they turn in.  They take tests and are graded on work in class.  They are even given homework over the summer vacation.  I have friends whose children flunked their grade and had to repeat a year, or make up the grade in summer classes. 

The education system is different from what is found in the United States in another big way.  During the 8th grade term the student’s parents meet with the teachers to discuss what type of high school the student will attend the following year.  Students can choose business studies, or technical school, including architecture, engineering, or a trade such as plumbing, electrical or carpentry.  In my area of Padova  there are many high schools.  Each one having classes to educate the students in their choice of training.  There are schools which offer training in culinary and restaurant work, and also hotel management.  Don’t think that this school would be easy, my neighbor around the corner had a son enrolled and his grades were poor enough that he had to repeat the classes.  

The trade school is a real strength of the system in comparison to America because the American education system is designed for students who are going on to a college.  There are many students who would benefit from a technical education, as they are not able to compete in a University setting.  

After graduating high school students can attend a University and compete for placement much the same as in America.  I have an artist friend whose daughter wanted to study medicine at the University in Padova.  However, she did not have the grades to enter medicine school  and chose to apply for the pharmacy school instead.  If students were ungraded and rubber stamped through school, as this professor stated,  there would be no competitive system to enter a university.  This is not a case here in Italy.  I think the system they have in place is a good one, making more sense to give a good education for people.  If this is socialism I like it.  

University studies in Italy are almost cost free.  Students have some minor fees and they have to buy their books.  They will graduate without a huge debt and be able to start their life without years of a  monthly bill payment.  The people of Italy have decided to make that kind of investment in the country’s future.  Everyone, regardless of family finances, can attend a university.  

If one uses google to look up the meaning of socialism it is defined as a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Wikipedia lists Italy as a county under socialism, however,  I cannot find much of this “ownership” by the community.  My wife works in a factory doing very well in the production of dental implants and this factory is owned by one family.  She was previously employed by another factory which  produced small parts for automobiles and airplanes and this factory is also owned by one family.  Both families, as a mention, live pretty well off, in comparison to the middle class.   

I have read that in Germany one person is chosen from the workers will sit on the board of factories and have a vote in finances and direction of the business.  I do not see that here in Italy, but there are unions who have a voice.   Imagine Wells Fargo Bank having a worker on the board and being able to ask questions about  the huge bonuses and corruption of signing up accounts which were fake. 

My wife would tell you that the workers don’t have a large say in factory business.  In comparison to unions in America I would say they are much weaker here.  I have seen demonstrations against poor safety rules which have resulted in deaths of workers.  In this matter the unions speak out.  None of this looks like socialism in the definition found above.  

The countries listed on the internet as socialistic are Armenia ,Bolivia, Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, and Italy.   People throw out the term socialism know that the  definition includes public ownership of factories, etc.  I do not see public ownership of factories in Europe.  I would love to own stock in the factory where my wife works, but it is owned by a family, no stock options available. I drive by hundreds of small and large factories in the Padova area and they are owned by families, and some are available for stock ownership.  I have been to Germany, France, Denmark (listed above) and I see the same, many factories and businesses owned not by the public.

The definition of  socialism included businesses regulated by the community as a whole.  I do see this here.  Regulations have kept the price of my cell phone much much lower than what it would be in the US.  I pay 10 euros monthly.  How much is your cell bill?

America has socialism. America has public ownership of fire departments, police departments, airports, and even public electricity, sewer and water.  Selling these services off to private ownership only turns to a disaster, Greece for example has been forced to sell airport services off to Germany.  This sort of thing always seems to raise the cost of everything in the airport and the services.  

Lastly I want to mention the medical situation here in comparison to the US.

I have a plastic card which allows me to have access to Italian medical services.  All Italians have a right to receive the same treatment whether they are rich or poor.  Walk into a  hospital, no charge.  My medicines that are prescribed by my doctor here cost me 5 euros a month.   I can chose to go, and did,  to a privately run clinic for two MRI tests, which cost me less than a hundred euros.  How much would that be in the US?  The hospital nearest my village is brand new, built two years ago.    The process is modern, for example, I email my doctor that it is time for my prescription to be renewed and he puts it on an ap which I show the  pharmacy.  I can walk into my doctor’s office any time and within a half hour I am sitting at his desk.  He is efficient and concerned about my health.  He takes the time to discuss things.  There will be no bill when I leave.   My Italian doctor has made house visits, three of them to my home.  I cannot imagine my American doctor doing that, although when I had the mumps back in 1953, the doctor arrived with his black bag.  

I think of the millions of people in America afraid to be ill because they know they cannot afford it.  People are taking less insulin to make it last longer because it is expensive.  It is the same for expensive pills, etc.  Thousands of people are going or already gone bankrupt because they cannot afford to pay the hospital bill.  Even senior citizens have to pay for part A and part B of

medicare.  Meanwhile the insurance companies are  paying bonuses to the executives and raking in huge profits.     

 I have been here for 10 years.  I find more similar things economically between America and Italy.  I will admit there are differences, let me give you one example.  Buying a car.  My last car purchased in California I drove off the lot after about two hours of haggling, signing papers, etc.  The price included a commission to the salesman.  My  last car in Italy, I bought it but had to wait for papers to  be processed.  There was no commission to the salesman included.  A week later I took possession of my car.  To obtain a driver’s license I studied a manual in Italian that had 347 pages, then had to pay 500 euros and enroll in a driving school.  The test was ridiculously difficult and many Italians fail the test to repeat it over until the pass.  I did not do well on my first attempt.   have had my American license since 1965,   This is a big difference I find maddening.  But these are small matters I have learned to live with.   BTW Italians in the north are good drivers, and when i am on the Autostrada I am glad that the other drivers have taken and passed that test.

Going by the house of Marco Polo

I get around, I have been to 41 countries in my lifetime.  71/41.   When I go to another country I try to talk to people and find out how they are managing life.  This weekend I was in Scotland and I chose to ride a bus out of the city and see how things are going for Scots.   I had lunch in a friendly pub built in the 1600’s.  One can learn a lot being a fly on the wall surrounded by local citizens rather than tourists. 

  

I believe that this FB  post was written for political reasons to scare people.  One must ask yourself why.  Why would someone want to keep people from having good health?  Why lie about schooling in Europe?  For certain this professor has never been to Europe.  I am writing the truth and relating what I have seen.  You can decide for yourself.  I trust all of us will read more, and think about what we read and the reason it was written.