The Pontifical University of St Thomas (Angelicum) came alive once again on Tuesday April 16, thanks to the presence of a prestigious personality. He is Romano Prodi – two-time Prime Minister of Italy and one-time President of the European Commission. He will also be remembered as one of the forces behind the Maastricht Treaty and the establishment of the single European Currency.
Never as in recent years has the governance of economic processes been such a difficult task. Faced with the ceaseless development of the global economy and new markets and the risk of the financial crises which affect even strong economies, politicians struggle to define their own agenda, to identify priorities and to find patterns of balanced and sustainable development.
The conference marked the launch of a new graduate program, called a “double degree”, offered by the Angelicum with the University of Guglielmo Marconi, under the title of “Political Science of Good Governance” – promoting studies on the relationship between ethics, politics and economics, and their good governance, at Italian, European and global levels.
It was in this context that Romano Prodi came to the Angelicum. He came to share his thoughts on Good Governance, the future for Italy and Europe and the role of the universities. He entitled his address, “The Great Changes in World Politics and Economy: Is there a Place for Europe?”
Much of Professor Prodi’s talk concerned China and his personal contacts with the leading political figures in that country. He underlined that, in private, the Chinese leadership is now talking very differently regarding questions of major importance compared to only a few years ago (for instance, on what should be the world’s reserve currency). To sum up the situation in China, Prodi used a very famous phrase from one of the classics of Italian literature, Il Gattopardo (The Leopard), turning it around so as to say the opposite. In the original, the phrase is “Everything must change in order that nothing changes” (tutto deve cambiare perché nulla cambi). Prodi suggested that in China “we are at the antipodes of Il gattopardo: Everything must stay the same so that everything changes”. With regard to Europe, he emphasised both the great potential of the European region (not least as the largest economy in the world and the largest world exporter) and its weaknesses. He did not hesitate to link the latter to a lack of political vision and leadership; with regard to the Euro, for instance, he underlined that all those involved with its launch knew very well that further developments at the European level were needed to support it, but these developments were never carried forward, leaving the currency vulnerable to the kind of crisis it faces now. Commenting on electoral systems, he noted that the purpose of elections is to produce a government, not to be “a photograph of the country”. He spoke positively of the system of two rounds in the election of the President in France. In the first round, he argued, it is possible to get a “photograph” of how people are feeling and thinking, but the second round, with its run-off between only two candidates, requires electors to make a choice that produces a figure who can govern.
There was a lively audience at the Angelicum to listen to Mr Prodi and to probe him with their reactions and questions. He stylishly evaded some of the questions thrown at him, especially those concerning the present government in Italy. To one such question, he responded, “On this, I have not permitted myself to speak”.
Sr Helen Alford, OP, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, the faculty directly responsible for the conference, gave the welcome address. The conference and indeed, the double degree graduate program in “Political Science and Good Governance” indicate the great efforts the Angelicum is making to have an impact on the great political and economic questions of our day.
For more information on the double degree, please go to the web page: http://www.scienze-politiche.org/buongoverno/
(April 22, 2013)