A-Infos (en) Italy, Sicilia Libertaria #463 - Editorial - Ambrosetti Forum: The Weapons of Propaganda (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Capitalism always needs to flaunt itself, to demonstrate its power, and 
at the same time to set itself up as the guardian of the freedom (of 
goods and profit) and democracy (of consumption) that are so generously 
offered to the sovereign people. One of the most important opportunities 
for capitalists around the world to see themselves reflected in the 
mirror of their own magnificence is the Forum in Cernobbio, a charming 
town on Lake Como, where every year The European House - Ambrosetti 
S.p.A. convenes tycoons, financiers, company presidents, CEOs (a very 
trendy acronym), business executives, government officials and aspiring 
leaders-in short, the crème de la crème of the rulers of the global 
economy (and politics). The European House - Ambrosetti S.p.A., or Teha 
for short, is a Milan-based consulting firm that presents itself on its 
website as follows: "We are the leading private think tank in Italy, the 
fourth in the European Union, and among the most respected and 
independent institutions globally in over 100 countries, according to a 
study by the University of Pennsylvania." Meanwhile, the Scuola 
Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa offers this kind advertisement to its 
students: "Without entrepreneurs, there is no growth, and without 
growth, there is no future. It is with this conviction that The European 
House - Ambrosetti has been putting its expertise at the service of 
entrepreneurship for fifty years."

Given the organizer's expertise and credibility, and the importance of 
its guests, the Ambrosetti Forum received considerable media attention: 
for three days in the first week of September, the Italian press and 
media covered the event with headlines, front-page stories, and in-depth 
features that conveyed the deep concern for the fate of humanity among 
those gathered at the luxurious Villa d'Este in Cernobbio.

Between brunch, aperitifs, and closed-door meetings, the heroes of 
contemporary capitalism questioned and proposed solutions to the 
problems of our time. This year, there was much discussion of tariffs, 
but especially war. The timing was propitious, and the alarm raised 
about the alleged US disengagement from the European "front" and the 
simultaneous threat posed by Putin's Russia, which is reportedly poised 
to extend its influence and military presence across the whole of 
Europe, provided the perfect opportunity to reaffirm the need to 
increase military spending and reach the coveted 5% target requested by 
NATO. Leonardo President Stefano Pontecorvo, in a video interview with 
ANSA on the sidelines of the Forum, couldn't have been clearer: "In 
1989, the percentage of EU countries' defense spending was 3.9%. Then 
the Berlin Wall fell, and we reaped dividends in peace. In 2020, average 
spending was 1.3%. Unfortunately, we need to close that spending gap and 
establish credible deterrence... I believe the commitment made within 
NATO, the famous 3.5% plus 1.5%, is the goal we should strive for. The 
important thing is to reach 2.5% as quickly as possible, because that 
provides the first step, which is what establishes the credibility of 
the entire process that follows." Lorenzo Mariani, CEO of MBDA Italia, 
echoes this sentiment. This European consortium, created in 2001 by 
Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (subsequently joined by 
Spain and the United States), "has production and design capabilities 
capable of covering the entire range of current and future needs of the 
armed forces (land, air, and sea)," as advertised on the University of 
Genoa's website. In another video interview with Adn Kronos, also on the 
sidelines of the Forum, he stated with a clear air: "I believe that a 
key aspect of the European rearmament plan is indeed the significantly 
increased amount of funding compared to the past, particularly the Safe 
instrument, which provides for a loan of up to EUR150 billion. It 
certainly changes the ability of states to invest in a sector that has 
frequently been underfunded in the past." The people of Gaza will be 
most grateful, since MBDA is selling components for the bombs Israel is 
dropping on Palestinians, according to an investigation by the Guardian.

Thus, while President Mattarella in a video message to the Forum praised 
the European Union "capable of projecting its values beyond its borders, 
bringing about stability, well-being, growth, and trust.
It has never sparked a conflict, it has never initiated a trade dispute; 
on the contrary, it has facilitated agreements and deployed peacekeeping 
missions. It has lambasted multinationals, labeled as new East India 
Companies, and the neo-imperialist appetites of certain governments. The 
arms dealers present in force in Cernobbio were busy touting their role 
and their necessary utility and, why not, to close deals.

Behind the facade of respectability and necessity, capitalism celebrates 
its glories, backed by governments and institutions and serving up myths 
of grandeur and prosperity to the populace-public opinion.

During the same days as the Ambrosetti Forum, a few hundred meters from 
Villa d'Este, a counter-forum promoted by Sbilanciamoci! was held under 
the title "A Farewell to Arms." Despite the common sense of the 
proposals that emerged-disarmament, rights, social justice, equality-one 
nevertheless recognizes the limitations of a vision that seeks to 
counter the power of capital and its rules while remaining on the same 
page. same ground. But at this point, where we find ourselves, a 
permanent war accepted as inevitable, it should be clear that nothing 
can change unless we change the game and the rules.

Angelo Barberi

https://www.sicilialibertaria.it/
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