Silvio Berlusconi S Italy

FINALIST at 2015 LONDON BOOK FAIR's THE WRITE STUFF prize. Can a non-fictional book be as interesting as a page-turner fictional plot?Can it be at the same time a tycoon's biography, a mafia tale, a gangster story, a political thriller, an essay on democracy, a dystopia, a sociological analysis of a nation, a scandalous sex story? If the subject-matter is Silvio Berlusconi's incredible story and Italy, the answer is yes. This book, in fact, is a unique portrait of Italy's godfather and also a detailed picture of Italian society, an attempt to allow the foreign reader to understand how it has been possible for an alleged mafia-linked business magnate and media tycoon, constantly in trouble with justice and drenched in vice, to become the most popular political leader, Prime Minister and the absolute master of the country for the last twenty years. Berlusconi is often considered the personification of corruption, of disrespect for the law, of the liaison between organized crime - politics, of immoral behaviour, typical features of that 'immoral majority' of the country. Still, there are many open questions that this book tries to answer: How come Berlusconi grabbed complete control of all Italian information and used it as a Weapon of Mass Deception that turned viewers into faithful voters? How was he able to pass laws ad-personam that made him almost untouchable by the Judicial Power and favoured his business and financial activities in an unfair game? Can we say that Berlusconi is the very symbol of a concentration of political, economic and media power in one single person never seen before, a fact that has created the greatest conflicts of interests in the Western World, or is he just another pawn in a bigger game? What is hidden under Italy's well-known surface beauty, artistry and creativity? Does Dante's underworld Inferno still exist today? Is the erosion of democracy in Berlusconi's period a trend of modern capitalism, as some 'dystopian' writers predicted?

This book analyses the foreign policy of Silvio Berlusconi, Italian media tycoon and politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy in four governments. The authors examine the Italian position in the international arena and its foreign policy tradition, as well as Berlusconi’s general political stance, Berlusconi’s foreign policy strategies and the impact of those strategies in Italy. Given that Berlusconi is considered a populist leader, the volume considers his foreign policy as an instance of populist foreign policy – an understudied but increasingly relevant topic.

Not a Normal Country explores Italian politics and culture in the era of Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s richest man and one of its longest serving prime ministers. Geoff Andrews argues that the ‘Berlusconi phenomenon’ was a populist response to widespread cynicism towards politics. Berlusconi posed as an ‘anti-politician’, and based his appeal on his virtues as a salesman rather than a statesman. The second part of the book discusses the varied opposition to Berlusconi. This ranges from the anti-global demonstrations in Genoa in 2001 to unconventional protests such as the Girotondo movement led by the film director Nanni Moretti. According to Andrews, this new associationism has helped rebuild Italian politics. Finally, Andrews looks to the future and, through the examples of anti-mafia protests in Sicily as well as opposition to the Americanisation of Italian culture, considers the prospects for the new post-Berlusconi Italy.

Silvio Berlusconi is a polarizing politician who is sometimes adored and sometimes reviled by the people of Italy and by others around the world. An extremely wealthy and powerful man, Berlusconi rose to the top of European society and wielded considerable political influence over the country for over seventeen years. A media mogul, Berlusconi became an international celebrity due to his personal charisma and charm. Handsome and smooth, Berlusconi was very popular with women and his considerable libido led to many personal scandals. Born into fairly modest circumstances, Berlusconi consolidated power and political influence and formed a coalition that maintained control of the Italian government for over a decade. He was often accused of dishonest or illegal connections and may have even had ties to the Mafia. Many Italians loved their Prime Minister, but when the Italian economy began to falter, Berlusconi's life began to look debased and overly hedonistic. His selfish behavior sent a message that that he cared little for his fellow countrymen. When he was forced to resign in 2012, Berlusconi left the Italian government in shame but he still remains one of that country's wealthiest citizens. This is his bizarre story from his mild-mannered beginnings to the present day.

Italy is a country of free political institutions, yet it has become a nation of servile courtesans, with Silvio Berlusconi as their prince. Drawing upon the republican conception of liberty, this title shows that a people can be unfree even though they are not oppressed.

A comprehensive analyses of contemporary Italy, this book is a provocative and innovative collection of essays that highlights the current 'crisis' of the country.

Chronicles the life and times of Italy's leader, who rose from poverty to become a media billionaire and the Italian prime minister.