Beppe Grillo's Blog

Spending time in the ranks of politics

I was struck by Gad Lerner’s response to the psycho-dwarf who was describing the qualities of Nicole Minetti: “And this allows her [Minetti – editor] to skip time spent with the ‘mess tin’ in the ranks of politics?” In this phrase he has embraced the difference between participative politics and professional politics, long-term, a job that is learned. Among the thousand things (an encyclopaedia on judicial things) that he could have responded to a guy (“the one of the night”) who goes from one broadcast to another to harass the TV viewers, Lerner chose the superiority of politics in relation to the common citizen.
What ‘mess tin’ was Lerner talking about? The rules of democracy have all gone up in the air. The citizen has been excluded from any democratic process. Deputies and senators are appointed; Parliament is a self-referential system that is accountable to no one. Referenda and popular laws are like the little coloured stones that were gifted to the indigenous people, shiny, but worthless. There is no route but that of self representation, of entering into the institutions, and making oneself the spokesperson for other citizens. If a person, moved by the civic spirit were to decide to do that, and many people have done that, they should perhaps sign up to the local section of the party, start to lick the arse of some ‘capataz’ {minor leader}, or seek out the company of those who “know what politics is all about”? So here you are … “what is politics all about?” unless it is the active participation of the citizens, any citizen, of every social background, from the housewife who is mother of three children to the workman working for the rubbish collection. Why can a bus driver not become the Mayor of Milan or the President of the Labour Commission? What service in the ranks does he have to undergo? His whole life is already an apprenticeship. The apprenticeship is the “nonnismo” {bullying of new recruits} of politics. Parliament must get filled up with citizens and expel the professional politicians.
There is great confusion under the sky of politics. In twenty years there has been the confusion of politics with news provision, with the magistracy, with entrepreneurship that have acted as substitutes to a total emptiness. Politics is the measure of everything, from which the other things come. The citizen is politics, the will of the people is politics, the needs of the citizens translated into simple and clear laws by other citizens is politics, a news system paid for by the citizens who are readers and not from taxes and advertising by the lobbies is politics, a justice system that functions is politics. Everything starts with the citizen and everything comes back to the citizen. The State is the citizen and the citizen is the State.

P.S. Meetings for the creation of 5 Star Civic Lists have been organised in the following towns:
Alatri, Cagliari, Campolongo Maggiore,Canino, Capoterra,Capua,Cavarzere,Chioggia-Sottomarina,Chivasso,Ciriè,Civitavecchia,Codogno,Fuscaldo,Genzano di Roma,Grezzana, Marino, Marotta-Mondolfo, Mores, Nardò, Nerviano, Pessano con Bornago, Pioltello, Policoro, Quarto D'Altino, Rocca Albegna, Rocca di Papa, Rocca Priora, Roma, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Salsomaggiore, Sala Baganza,Savona, Statte, Sora, Varese, Viadana, Vigonovo
Suggest a meeting in your own town.

È stato morto un ragazzo (DVD) {A young man in a state of death}
The film about Federico Aldrovandi who encountered the police one night.
Buy your copy now.

Comments

Ha! And as if to prove my point, today we learn that 'Marina' Berlusconi is being encouraged to enter politics in succession to her father. Her main positive point? She has no experience of politics...

Posted by: Peter Gee | January 30, 2011 09:20 AM

I disagree, Tony. Grillo is trying to say that he considers 'professional' politicians to be a race - a caste - apart from the ordinary people. He considers that anyone that actually learns how to be a politician should be automatically barred from doing the job. His complaint against Gad Lerner is that he said that Minetti had not learned how to be a politician by going through the ranks - as is the usual way of learning how to do a job - but was frog-hopped into position by Berlusconi. That, indeed, was the case - she was. However, Grillo has used the comment by Lerner as a means of pressing his 'point' that politicians should not learn how to do their job at all - they should just use their skills as bus driver, rubbish collector or housewife to administer the region as they best see fit.

Can you imagine if that were to happen in any other job? Perhaps you might like to consider if a bus driver would make a good bank manager? Airline pilot? Dentist? Whilst I agree that politics should be open to any and every citizen I also feel that people that wish to do the job must learn how to do it before being allowed to try their hand at it. A prime example is Berlusconi himself, who never learned to be a politician, has no political views at all and has no interest whatsoever in doing the job. Ecco...

Posted by: Peter Gee | January 28, 2011 09:24 AM

Posted by: Peter Gee | January 28, 2011 09:23 AM

i don't read this post as an attack on Gad Lerner, Peter. Grillo is explaining the bankruptacy of today's political methods. He is pointing out how "Movimento 5 Stelle" intends to get people involved in the political affairs of where they live, work and play without the need of professional politicians. And probably Gad Lerner would be simpathetic to the Movement's concept of democracy.

Posted by: Tony T | January 27, 2011 10:07 PM

You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself for attacking Gad Lerner, Grillo!

Shame on you!

Posted by: Peter Gee | January 27, 2011 06:28 PM