ROTHBARD-ROCKWELL REPORT

Revolution crumple here as well? Well, one problem was the in ! seeming permanence and by Murray N. Rothbard realism of democratic struc- tures. The reply to this opti- There is hope, hope for mism went as follows: ”Well, America. Despite our inmas- OK, Communism collapsed ingly socialized polity, and because it had a brittle one- our rapidly degenerating and party system that was vul- THE EAR crazed culture, there is hope. nerable at the core. But by Sarah Barton The first wonderful sign of remember, no ”revolution”: hope was, of course, the total (which can mean either A curtsy to the world’s collapse of Communism in armed overthrow or a radical leading gossipist, Taki, of the the Soviet Union and East crumbling)has ever occurred real Spectator and National Europe. Of course, not all in a ”democracy.” No radical Review (where he’s cen- problems were solved by this collapse has ever occurred sored). In his British ”High collapse, but still who could where there are free elections, Life” column, Taki has have believed that totalitarian amodicumoffreespeechand dubbed Clinton ”the Great communism, seemingly all- expression, and a two or Pants Dropper.” It should be powerful, headed by a one- multiparty system.” This BiU’s permanent moniker. party regime and backed by defense, whether one liked it a huge and ruthless secret or not, of the stability of ***** police, would need neither a democracy made a persua- bloody revolution nor a long, sive case. Even for those of us ”According to the Bible,” grueling march through the critical of the pretensions of the Great Pants Dropper told institutions to bring it down? democracy, it seemed that a the Arkansas troopers, a mar- Instead, it crumpled, sud- limited ability to sound off, ried man who has oral denly like a house of cards, plus the severely restricted sex with other women isn’t like the proverbial one-hoss choice of two or more similar committing adultery. Now I shay. After six decades in parties, provided enough of see that the promiscuous power, bam! Those of us who an outlet for frustrations to coke-head Chuck Robb, knew that socialismcouldnot keep the system going and to whom Ollie North will work, that it could not tackle mharmelpublic criticisms into trounce for the Senate in Vii- its grave economic problems, harmless and marginal @a, has virtually the same knew as a consequence that changes in the governing view, according to memos the despair of most conserva- party. As the leftist critic of from his own staff. tives about Communism was democratic forms (or what wrong: that one day it would might be called ”pluto- ***** tumble down. But no one (Cont. next page, d.2) (Cont. nextpage, col. 1) could predict how quickly the whole edifice would shat- ter. And if it can happen there, under monstrous Commu- nism, why not here? Why Quotes That Need No Comment...... 9 couldn’t the statist system TheFranakcan Way by M. N. R...... 11 (THE EAR cont from pg. 1) democracy”), Herbert Mar- Canadian politics had been Congrats to HowiePhillips cuse used to put it, the sys- fdly as boring and as hope for listing the neocons and tem, by allowing us a veneer less as our own. Three major left-libertarians who lent of free speech and free choice, parties: the Liberals, equiva- major financial support to locked us into a captive stat- lent to Left Clintonians in the Jim Miller over Ollie North. ist system by a method of U.S.;the Progressive Conser- They include: Elliott Abrams, ”repressive tolerance.’’ vatives, equivalent to centrist Rich Bond, Bill Buckley, But then, last winter, some- Clintonians; and frankly and Frank Carlucci, Larry thing happened. For the first openly socialist New Demo- Eagleburger, Richie Fink, time, a major, crats. What a Boyden Gray, Manny indeed govern- choice! Or Johnson, Chuck Koch, Dave ing, political rather, to hark Koch, Liz Koch, KOCHPAC, party in a func- back to the old Don Regan, and George tioning democ- Goldwater slo- schultz. racy, simply gan, what a folded, col- series of echoes! ***** lapsed, bam! I But while the speak of course Liberals of A piece of advice, dear of our neighbor courseassumed reader: never subscribe to a to the north, power in this neocon magazine because Canada. On the last election, the it ran one good article. The night of the Progressive latest issue of the Amencan Canadian elec- Conservative Spectator, all too typical, tion I called up collapse was includes a diatribeby two for- a Canadian matched by the eign lobbyists, an endorse- friend of mine rise of two new ment of the evil Kissinger to inqdabout parties: the Bloc by editor R. Emmett Tyrrel, the results. Quebecois, Jr., Tyrrell’s loopy praise of ”You know,” he pushing for Nixon as another Hubert said, that the separatism and Humphrey, ”though more [ruling] Pro- independence interesting,” and the photo gressive Conservative party for French-speaking Quebec; gallery from Hell (taken had a margin of [something and the brand new Reform at the latest AS dinner). like] 150 seats in Parliament?” Party, based in Western Among the assembled social ”Yes.” ’Well,” he continued, Canada, and enjoying only democracy: Elliott Abrams ”the Progressive Conserva- one seat less in Parliament wearing a scowl, Tyrrell tives are now down to 2 than the Quebecers. The wearing a medal (the Order seats.” ‘Wow!” I replied, ”that% Reform Party is great news: it of Bourbon?), and a bigshot a real landslide! From a mar- may best be described as a neocon, his own trophy wife gin of 150 seats to a margin of Pale0 Party: for drastic cuts in safely across the room, leer- only 2 seats!’’ ”NO,” he cut in taxes and expenditures, for ing at a colleague’s. Ah yes, sharply, ”not a margin of 2 privatization, and for getting offiaal conservatism. jeats. 2 seatsperiod!” the East off the Just like that! Finished! The backs of the prosperous free- ***** hgmsweConservatives, led market and populist West. by the glamorous female Kim And they are for immigration Beltway trends: Taco has Campbell as Prime Minister, restriction against a horde of Decome Gatto (not to be con- were wiped out, with Mrs. welfare clients who would fusedwith Gayto). Campbell losing her seat. inevitably wreck English-

2 = July1994 -speaking Canadian culture. from top to bottom. Italy had occupation force. The Reform Party, in short, become, in the common par- With the Center collapsing, is Our Party in Canada, sky- lance, a veritable Tang- and seeminglynon- rocketing to a powerful oppe entopoli (Kickback City). existent, everyone believed sition to Liberal rule. Between Vigorish and bribes to parties that the Communists, refur- the Reformers and the Que- and political leaders alike bished and renamed as a beckers, the dreary collectiv- was endemic. "Social Democratic" Demo- ist, inflationist welfare statist For decades, all cratic Party of the Left, would tyranny of Ottawa might be knew this was going on, and come to power in the late broken into its constituent shrugged cynically But then, in March Italian elections. parts, and both liberty and the last couple of years, what Because of a shift from pro- separatism might reign in the every Italian knew deep in portional representation to old Canadian realm. And his heart became all too glar- single-winner districts, the perhaps "Canada", at least as ingly evident. Big shot politi- "ex" Communists faced the we know it, might go the way cal leaders, mayors, judges, voters as leaders of a Progres- of "Yugoslavia" and the were sent to jail on a massive sive Alliance, which included "Soviet Union," down into scale. And suddenly, as if the a small hard-line Communist the dustbin of history. public had reached their tip- Party called the "Commu- Canada was the first sign ping point and simply got fed nists Refounded". It looked that even a democratic polity up, it all shattered, and the very much that, nearly a half- can crumble quickly. But monstrousChristian Democ- century after the Commu- even more exciting is the racy, along with its tame nists had been turned back at recent March 27-28 election in Socialist Party, simply disap- the pass, they would now, Italy. For, even more thor- peared. The Italian public had suitably cleaned up, buttoned oughly than in Canada, had enough, and peacefully down, and renamed, finally where the bad old Liberal but forcefully, threw the ras- come to power in Italy. Party remains in power, the cals out. So broken were the entire Italian political system, Christian Democrats and The "Freedom Alliance" the system of virtually one- Socialists that they faded out of the Right party Christian Democrat without even daring to face Just as the Left prepared to rule that was crafted and fas- the voters under their origi- romp to power, however, Fate tened upon the Italian politi- nal name and form. stepped in to save the day. cal system in 1948, this In 1948, when it looked as Dynamic media billionaire, vicious and corrupt tyranny if the Communists would , was deter- of centrist, statist partito- win the Italian elections, the mined to keep the "ex" Com- crazia (party-ocracy) has CIA and the U.S.A. poured munists from coming to fallen apart, and crumbled millions in dollars and propa- power in Italy. Berlusconi has into ashes. The seemingly all- ganda into stopping the been inaptly called the "Ital- powerful Christian Democ- Communists and installing ian Perot"; in his ownership racy, rulingfor a half-century, the Christian Democrats. The of three TV networks and simply is no more. Even its CommunistParty had ridden publishing houses, he is renamed successor parties in on the backs of the U.S.and closer to Rupert Murdoch. (the Italian People's Party Allied crushing of the Italian The big difference is that he is and the smaller Pact for Italy) fascist forces, with Commu- a dedicated free-marketeer, are virtually off the charts. nists acquiring the glamor of far more principled than The thing that,tore it was their alleged (mostly phony) Murdoch, more consistent corruption, massive, mam- partisan or guerrilla activities than Perot. In a remarkable moth corruption, involving against the Fascist govern- feat deployed at the last every level of government ment and the later German minute, Berlusconi started

3 July 1994 I from scratch, creating a new North and are strong in the moderate free-market Fried- political party, South and Central regions of man-Feulner power elite (Go, Italy) in January of this Italy. Form Italia, on the other in the Society. (The Austro- year, sweeping to victory hand, is more of a national libertarian wing of Mont only two months later in the party than the others. The Pelerin is centered in Spain March elections. three parties complement and Latin America.) How did Berlusconi do it? each other regionally. Ideo- Martino wants to go far and With money of course, with logically, as we shall see fast toward rescuing Italy bold use of his TV networks below, the two parties both from its limping status as an and mdaempire, and with complement each other and inflationary welfare state. He bright young marketing and conflict on many issues. wants, in the first place, dras- managerial experts from his But about one thing we can tic tax cuts. Marpal income conglomerate Fininvest. His be confident: the Freedom tax rates are to be cut radi- campaignmanager andparty Alliance is tough-minded cally, in the upper brackets, organizer, Roberto Lasagna, and hard-nosed. Defymg the and the number of income tax was the Italian head of the corrupt Italian custom of let- brackets are to be slashed famed ad agency, Saatchi & ting the ”loyal opposition” from seven to one. Taxes on Saatchi, and the name of his have the two top legislative the poor are to be eliminated party is a popular Italian seats of Speaker of the Cham- by means of large increases in chant at national soccer ber of Deputies and President personal deductions. Hard matches. (Berlusconihimself of the Senate, the victorious money and ending deficits to owns A.C., one of the Freedom Alliance used its slash inflation would also best soccer teams in Europe.) political muscle to squeak stop eroding the savings of Forza Italia could not have through its own candidates the poor, and the abolition of won the Italian elections for these two posts, to the brackets would put an end to alone; instead, Berlusconi anguished squeals of the dis- the cruel practice of inflating shrewdly put together a tri- appointed Left. people into higher tax brack- partite coalition of the Right, ets while the rates seemingly the Freedom Alliance. There Berlusconi’s remain the same. Martino are many tensions and strains Economic Guru hopes, in the supply-side within this alliance, as there Central to Berlusconi’s manner, to induce more would be in any right-wing plans is his chief economic people to pay taxes by lower- coalition, and for a while it guru and long-time close ing the tax rates (Italians are looked as if the Alliance adviser, Professor Antonio famous for their systemic tax would fall apart before it Martino, who has become evasion), thereby increasing could enjoy its smashing Foreign Minister in the new or at least maintaining total majority in the March elec- Italy. The fiftylsh Martino is a revenue. While supply-side tions. But fortunately, the leading member of the inter- maneuvers usually don’t Alliance hung together, and national free-market eco- work, in a land as highly Berlusconi is slated to be the nomic group, the Mont taxed as Italy, it might well first Premier of what Pelerin Society. Although a succeed. Certainly, in any amounts to Italy’s ”Second former student of Milton case, the Italian producers Republic”. Briefly, the other Friedman at the University of and the economy will be Alliance members are the Chicago, and a former Heri- enormously better off. Northern League, the party of tage Foundation fellow, Inaddition,Martinowantsto northern Italian autonomy or Martino is far friendlier to the topple the entire complex and secession; and the National Austro-libertarian minority horrendous tax strudure, by Alliance, the so-called “neo- within Mont Pelerin than are slashing the number of Italian fascists”, who are weak in the most other members of the taxes from u30 to 10.Ever-rising

4 July1994 government expenditum are regions in Italy: the North, -to separate nationalisms to be curbed by massive Center, and South, plus other underscores one of the major privatization, including the peripheral regions such as Val problems of 19th century schools and national health d’Aosta and Alto Adige. The classical liberalism. Modern insurance. Moreover, Forza idea is for each region to tax libertarians like to call them- Italia is determined to cut into and spend only in its own selves “classical liberals”, the gigantic parasitic bureau- area. Thereby, for the North- heirs of nineteenth century cracy that has been strangling ern League, the leeching of free-market liberalism. This economic and social life in the parasitic welfare-state homage is generally true, but Italy. In Italy, the rascals can- South upon the productive applied to liberalism in not be kicked out, even on the and prosperous North will Europe, especially in the higher levels as they are in the cease,aswillthe”jmpenahm” Catholic countries of Europe, United States; once someone of the massive bureaucracy of it glosses over two major and gets a bureaucratic job, no mat- the Center, headquartered in grievous errors of classical ter how high up, he is safely . Unfortunately, and liberalism: (1) its opposition ensconced for life. The Forza this is one of the tensions to Christianityin general, and aim to whittle at the staying within the Freedom Alliance, to the Catholic Church in par- power of the bureaucracy by klusconi and Martino think ticular; and (2) its overween- dwindling the number of life- as centralists; they want ing centralism, in the name of time jobs, and subjecting the regional fiscal and administra- ”efficiency”, and its willing- executive branch to a good tive autonomy not because ness to ride roughshod over dose of what they think in the rights and liberties of has often been terms of sev- separate and particular derided as ”the eral nations regions and ”nations.” In spoils system,” but merely for short, in several crucial ways, but which the efficiency classical liberals weren’t really means and localism “paleo” enough, and were allowing the that decentrali- mired in the early stages of voters to kick zation brings. cultural Leftism. Thus, the out bureau- The Forza, organizers of a unified Italy in crats they don’t accord ing 1y, the nineteenth century were like (The ”spoils plan on 25-50 classical liberals such as system”-i.e. fiscally autono- Cavour, who were blinded by genuine demo- mous regions anti-Catholicism, and by a cracy in gov- within one centralizing dismissal of the ernment-was Italian nation, many nations within the installed by whereas the overall ”Italian” rubric. Jacksonian Northern Lea- Democrats in gue wants The Heroic Paleos: the the U.S., and regional auto- Northern League continued until nomy because These deficiencies of cen- the goo-goo they know that tralizing classical liberalism civil service Italy is and can do not disfigure my personal reformers began to encroach never be one nation, but only favorite among the three upon the throw-out-the-ras- three or more separate and members of the Freedom cals process in the 1880s.) distinct nations, which differ Alliance: the Northern Lea- The Northern League culturally, linguistically, gue, which grew out of the wants three separate and and ethnically. remarkably fast-growing autonomous (if not seceding) This unfortunateblindness ”League”movement inNorth-

5 July 1994 ern Italy. The League began in Catholic communicant. In a ”foolish”. One is that Ms. Lombardy, as the Lombard brilliant political master- Pivetti is a traditional (that is, a League, the proclaimed heir stroke, however, Bossi found genuine) Catholic, described of the Lombard autonomous and elevated to a high posi- by the dopey reporter for the movement of the 12th mtury. tion in the party the brilliant New York Tmesas a ”Catho- Soon, the League concept and determined young lic fundamentalist” (There spread to other regions of the Catholic activist, hePivetti, ain’t no such thing. ”Funda- thrifty, entrepreneurial and who is the League’s Opening mentalists” are pnxnillennial prosperous North, later to to the Church. dispensationalist Protestants. amalgamate into the North- Irene Pivetti is magruficent, Period. What he means is: ern League. The dynamic the Paleos’ kind of female realCatholic). Because she is leader of the Northern leader. Only 31 years old, Ms. a genuine Catholic, Ms. League is Senator Umberto Pivetti graduated from the Pivetti, with typical candour, Bossi; major theoretician is Universita Sacre Cuore with denounced the heretical act of Professor Gianfranco h4iglio. honors, and worked as a fiery Pope John Paul II in hailing TheNorthernLeagueissepa- and tough journalist for the Judaism as Christianity’s ratist, bitterly critical of south- Catholic activist pupAclil. ”elder brother”, and elevat- ern welfare parasites and After she wrote a bitter article ing the Chief Rabbi of Italy to Roman centralism, is denouncing critics of the a status as exalted as himself. staunchly free-market in eco- Northern League, Bossi Ms. Pivetti declared that she nomics (its leaders have read found her and elevated her to ”cannotregard a false digion and admire Ludwig von party spokeswoman on as our ’elder brother.”’ Mises), is staunchly bour- Catholic affairs. And now, In the Western media ver- geois in social makeup, and after Maroni turned down sion of Alice-in-Wonderland, favors immigration restric- the post, the Freedom Alli- of course, any chrrstian who tions against welfam mooch- ance has named Irene Pivetti regards all other religions as ers from the south and Speaker of the Chamber of false (i.e. all genuine Chris- elsewhere. Bossi’s candidate Deputies, one of the youngest tians) is denouncedipsofacfo for premier during the post- in that post in Italian history. as ”anti-Semitic.”In short, the election jockeying within the No sooner did Ms. Pivetti media/secularist’s version of alliance is his friend, attorney achieve her high post, when a ”good Christian” (i.e.a non- Roberto Maroni, who has the U.S.and other Western anti-Mte)is a Christian who been granted the crucial post media began to attack her regards his religion as one of Minister of the Interior. as. .. .”anti-Semitic!” Isn’t it among a large number of The Northern League did remarkable that, in discuss- coqualsinsorneghastlyegali- extremely well in the north, ing the political scene of any tarian and ”non-discrimina- but is understandably weak country in Europe, or indeed tory” spiritual grabbag, none electorally in other regions, in the entire world, the only better or truer than another. even though it tries to pro- issue that seems to exercise After all, some0ne’s”feelings” mote similar Leagues in other the American and Western might get hurt otherwise. regions of Italy. Its biggest media is the ”Jewish Ques- (Hey, where’s The Inquisition weakness, apart from tion”, even in a country that now that we need it?) regional limits, has been its contains very few Jews, and The second spurious piece shaky relationship with the where Jews are not an issue. of evidence of Irene Pivetti’s Catholic Church; Bossi, for Why do you suppose that is? ”anti-Semitism”is her praise example, like many Italian It turns out that there are of Mussolini’s policy on males, is only a once and pos- two groundings for this women, i.e. his anti-femi- sibly future Catholic. Married absurd smear, which Ms. nism, and his belief that and divorced, he is not a Pivetti has denounced as women’s place was as -mothers in the home. As Ms. only one thing: ”anti- very successful Comintern Pivetti said, while she is not Semitism.” What else is or propaganda, adopted in the pro-fascist, she could ”see all was “fascism?”Who knows? Popular Front period of the the good things fascism did Who cares? In truth! the fas- late 1930~~and embraced for Italy.” In particular, she cists were never anti-Semitic; since then by Menshevik added, ”Mussolini had the indeed, there were always social democracy as wek that most advanced policy many Jews high up in the all right-wing parties in towards women”, that is, Fascist party. In fact, anti- Europe! from Nazis to Rexists anti-feminism. What does all Semitism has never been a to Hungarian Horthyites, this have to do with ”anti- factor in Italy period. It was were simply branches of Semitism”? See below. only with the approach and international ”fascism”, so Irene Pivetti is bound to be waging of World War 11 that that the Nazis were merely a superstar in Italian politics. the German Nazis were able ”German fascists.” Hence, a When she ran her first race for to push the Ital- battle against Parliament in 1992, she ran ians, with great Hitler or under the slogan, “Your spirit reluctance, into against Japan for God, your vote for the an anti-Jewish in World War II, League.” Her nickname now policy. As the became a cru- is la Papessa (the ”female eminent histo- sade against Pope”), and her friends rian Roland N. ”international regard her as the League’s Stromberg fascism,” with Joan of Arc. wrote in a letter the noble ”anti- to the New fascist” crusad- The ”Neo-fascists” York Times, ers, of course, The third, and of course the protesting the including Bol- most dreaded by the Western usual nonsense sheviks and media, constituent of the about Musso- Mensheviks Freedom Alliance is the lini as ”anti- alike. And now National Alliance, a renamed Semite, respon- that Bolshe- and reconstituted ”neo-fas- sible for the vism has fallen cist” party that, until its cur- deportation of apart, our rent leader thousands of neocon/Offi- took it over in 1991, was Italian Jews to aal Con/ social known for four decades as Nazi death democrats the . camps”: “The would like The dynamic young Fini Italian government did not nothing better than to revive changed its name and modi- turn a single Jew over to the the ”anti-fascist coalition”. fied its ”neo-fascist” ideology, Germans despite great pres- In reality, fascism in Italy, changing its nostalgic devo- sure, and 85 percent of the and the European right gen- tion to the fascist corporate Italian Jews survived even erally, cannot be understood state into a kind of moderate though the Nazis took control except as a vigorous reaction free-market party, strong in of northern Italy in 1943.” against the aftermath of central and southern Italy. (New York Tunes, April 13). World War I. That monstrous Whenever the word ”neo- So if anti-Semitism was not and destructive war discred- fascist”is uttered, or nostalgic on the agenda, what in the ited the European system- devotion is accorded to the world was ”fascism” about statismandimpenaltsm-that Fascist founder Mussolini, anyway? What was its pro- gave rise to that cataclysmic the Western media, once gram? The first thing we have conflict. But taking advan- again, know and yell about to do is to rid ourselves of the tage of the post-World War I

7 July 1994 chaos and starvation, the Left This p-ation and defense arbitrate labor disputes, pro- communist, social Democrat, was its great achievement. vide a welfare state for the and Anarcho-Syndicalist, Was Fascism perfect? Obvi- masses, etc. It is no wonder made hay under these condi- ously not. Actually in its early that in the Brain Trust of the tions, blaming ”capitalism” years, under the aegis of early days of Franklin for the war, and calling for its Mussolini’s free- market Min- Roosevelt’s New Deal, the revolutionary overthrow by ister of Finance, Albert0 di Brain Trusters were heavily these various forms of com- Stefano, the Fascists suc- influenced by the recently munist and ruhilist egalitari- ceeded in cutting the budget, translated writings of the Ital- anism. For a slashing taxes, ian Fascist theoretician while after the and privatizing Giovanni Gentile. war, it was much of State If all this sounds familiar, it touch and go, industry. Ui ifor- should be: for this is the and it looked as tunately by the economic policy of the New if Germany the mid-1920s, the Deal and the United States Baltics, Hun- National-syn- ever since. gary, and Italy, dicalist wing of Furthermore, Fascist for- would succumb Fascism tri- eign policy was also akin to to this destruc- umphed, di modern Wilsonian-Roose- tive Left rev- Stefano was veltian-neon itnpemhm. A olution. The kicked out, and worshiperofthecentralRoman Right-wing in Italian Fascism state, Mussolini wished to each European embarked on a Bring Back the Good Old country grew as most unfortu- Days of the Roman Empire, a militant reac- nate career of and hence foisted on Italy a tion against the economic stat- dopey bush-league version of revolutionary ism, virtually imperialism, successfully Left; it was a inventing the conquering the slave state of largely success- I, corporate Ethiopia, and catching Hell ful attempt to state”, which for this feat from the New defend and soon came to Deal crusaders for Global conserveexisting institutions: America in the form of the Democracy and “collective the family, the Church, the Roosevelt New Deal. The cor- security against aggression.” nation, and private property, porate state (sfafocorpo- Thus, the good thing about from the wave of revolution- rativo) was born in all the Fascism was that it saved ary destructionism. major warring nations in Italy from the terrible ravages All of these hard Right the War Collectivism of World of Marxism and anarcho-syn- movements wmcoflservative War I. The idea was for Big dicalism; the bad thing was and counter-revolutionary Government to organize its economic statism and its defenses against the crazed industry into a series of car- foreign policy of imperial- Left. In Italy, the Left meant tels, with industry run by tri- ism-both features where communists,aswellasgeneral partite delegations from Big our enemies: leftists, Men- strikes promoted by anarcho- Business trade associations, sheviks, neocons, Official syndicalism. The militant Fas- Big Unions (the ”National Cons, etc. are far closer to fas- cist movement succeeded in syndics”), and Big Govern- cism than we paleos are. saving Italy from two mon- ment public officials. The tri- Thus, the next time some left- strous evils: revolutionary partite bureaucracies would ist or Menshevik hisses “fas- Communism and revolution- then fix prices, wages, and cist!” at you, you would be ary anarcho-syndicalism. muduction of each industry, fully justified in hissing back,

8 July1994 and double in spades. star politician the beauteous Berlusconi and Martino’s Fast forward to the present- Alessandra Mussolini, Forza Italia want to privatize day, and we now have a granddaughter of I1 Duce. State industries and opera- National Alliance [N.A.] Alessandra,nieceof theillus- tions; whereas the Northern more or less purged of corpo- trious Sophia Loren and who League is worried about a rate state policies.However, the is a younger version of her formal ”privatization” that NA. is still considerably more aunt, is the paleo’s kind of will, as in Russia and Eastern statist than its two allies; it ”feminist,” and just about the Europe, go into the hands of wishes to hang on to some best thing in the N.A. the old corrupt State manage- state industry and not rial class. The Leaguers also privatize it, it insists on clinging Tension in the Alliance worry about privatizing into to central Roman imperialism A coalition of three such the hands of Japanese and and bureaucracy over the feisty and disparate hard other multinationals; hence, national regions; and, idioti- right forces is bound to suffer the League prefers to talk cally it still wants to return to from tensions and inner con- about ”localization” and not Roman imperial glory by flicts, and the alliance leaders just privatization of State reconquering the parts of denounced each other all dur- functions. Less serious is the Slovenia and Croatia that ing the campaignJand almost defection from the Forza Italy managed to grab as a didn’t get their act together to Italia leadership of heroic result of World War I, and had form a Cabinet. The biggest young female ex-judge to relinquish after World War clashisbetweentheNorthern Tiziana Pamti, who helped II. I don’t think, however, that League’s regional separatism prosecute corruption and anyone need seriously worry and the National Alliance’s resigned from the old govern- about an Italian ”threat” to devotion to the centralized ment in protest at their shelv- Slovenia and Croatia, a dan- Roman State. Otherwise, ing her inquiries into ger just about as clear and many of the discussions and crookery by the ”ex” Com- present as Zhirinovsky’s call debates within the alliance munist party. La Parenti, who for taking back Alaska. On sound like a more hostile ver- had been slated to become the other hand, of course, the sion of discussionswithin the minister of justice in a National Alliance has as its John Randolph Club! Thus: Berlusconi cabinet, has denounced Berlusconi’s ”per- sonal dictatorship” over the party. (What did she expect?) But these are all growing You could write an article about the horrors of Russian supermarkets, just by pains and creative tensions going to our supermarkets here [in New York City]. The mess. The lines. The within a suddenly burgeon- filth! And everybody is very, very rude.-- ness, culinary historian, New York Ties ing movement. One impor- tant point: Urnberto Bossi has The ”reform” [Yegor] Gaidar gave out was brainless. I refuse to mognize that given Berlusconi six months this is reform. ....He freed prices while monopolies were still intact, enabling them to charge whatever they wanted while reducing pmduction.-Aexsandr to transform the constitution Solzhenitsyn, New York Ties of Italy from a centralized State to a genuinelyfederalist She wary]certainly got favored and preferential treatment. Somebody else one; and we can all hope that put up the money to finance her trades. [Asked if others could get similar treat- ment] No way-not unless you’re my sister and I own the firm.auckLevitt, he succeeds. senior livestock analyst at Aaron Trading Corp., Chicago, New YorkPost The Other Europe It is immoral and unethical to encourage more war in Bosnia. As for a multicultural Bosnia, it won’t work because people no longer want it.-Con- There is another hopeful servative French writer Guy Sorman, reacting against pro-war agitation by Ber- force arising in Europe, and nard-Henri Levy and other Fmch intellectuals, New York Ties one that fits in well with the

9 .July 1994 ___~~~~ ___ I -rise of the Forza Italia. For British Tones have been so far the European Parliament, and decades, one of the sinister submqed by the Emhhjor it feels it can take 30 seats at the developments in Europe has liberals or "wets". Fortunately, first try. Goldsmith recently been the burgeoning of on the other hand, economic wrote a runaway best seller a regional Euro-bureaucracy realities managed to break in French, Le Piege (The of European managers and aparttheEuropeanCmcy Trap), which sold 100,000 administrators, of a European Union before it could unite on copies. This 200-page book is State that will be accountable a single cmcy,or even on a anti-Maastricht, anti-Gatt, to no one, neither taxpayers, single set of fixed exchange anti-Brussels, anti-Eurocracy, nations nor voters. This mon- rates, Britain being forced to As Sir Jimmy explains his strosity has grown like topsy, leave the Union. But still it is pition: I believe in "a Europe adding layer after layer of touch and go. built on a base of nations, and European Community eco- Up till now, opposition to not a United States of Europe. nomic regulation, of EurocTacy has been scattered, History showsthatanexcessof Maastricht currency regula- confined to dissidents in each centrhtionof power always tions, all designed to march nation (such as Britain and unleashes a reaction of dan- toward the goal of one Denmark) and unorganized. gerous centrifugal forces. Bel- supranational Euro-govern- Now, however, there is gium, Italy, and Yugoslavia, ment, to submerge all the good news. The formidable artificially created states, are wonderful particular nation- English billionaire Sir James in full explosion. A vote for alities of Europe into a mon- Goldsmith, who resides in Maastricht is the best way to strous, denatured, statist, and Paris, has thrown his energies destroy Emptheappetite cartelized "One Europe", into organizing a determined of Brussels for bureaucratic dominated by one tyrannical, anti-EurocTacy movement. On power is so voracious it will multicultural, multiethnic April 22, "Sir Jimmy's'' brain- sooner or later boomerang." government, issuing one child, L 'A ufre Europe (The A running mate of Gold- paper currency. This horn- Other Europe), was orga- smith's on the anti Maastricht dous Euro-ideal is, of course, nized, signing a Declaration list is the conservative Catho- precisely the ideal of our New of Paris in a solemn ceremOny lic French politician Philippe World Order left-liberals, at the George V Hotel. The de Villiers. In Germany, the neoconservative Menshe- Paris accord commits its sig- major L'Autr~Fon-eleaderis viks, and Rockefeller multi- natories to fight implacably Manfred Brunner, leader of nationals: that is, a super-one for a new Europ-r rather the Bund Freier Burger (the World Government built for the Old Europe-of sover- League of Free Burghers). upon such regional Euro- eign states. Just as Pat How does the new Italy fit governments as its building Buchananandthepaleoswant into this picture? Because a blocks. Hence, the enthusi- tOT~hf3iCEiBXktO~bre Berlusconi Italy is expected to 3sm with which the U.S. lib- the Old Republic, L 'Autre abandon the old Christian ?ral/centrist /neocon/ Europe is determined to Take Democrat enthusiasm for 3fficial Con Establishment Europe Back! to restore the Old One Europe,'and to join the greets every step along the Europe, what General de ranks of L 'Autre Force. Sir path to regionall and eventu- Gaulle called L Europe des limmy states that "it looks dly, world govemment. patries (A Europe of Father- very much as if the Italian Every fibre of the being of lands.) Goldsmith, who at 61 government ...will be anti ?verypale0 yearns to disrupt, has retired from high finance, Maastricht." In particular, :o block, to smash the march is devoting himself to this Antonio Martino, BerlLlsconi's :oward this World Govern- great cause. His L 'Autre Austro-libertarian economist, nent. Unfortunately, the Force intends to battle for LS a long-time "EurcFskeptic"; htcher Wing Of MtiO&tiC seats in the next elections to Martino was the only Italian

10 July1994 founding member of the intellectuals and theorists (and will best serve society. It is Bruges Group -an organ- this would be true in spades more often a matter of whose ization set up to counter One for libertarians) have concen- interests will be best served in Europe along nationalistic trated on what ideas should a drive for political power. As Thatcherite lines. be adopted in society. In the the late Max Lerner put it in We can see, rising out of the famous phrase of Old Rightist the title of a book written dur- mist, out of this RiMWeaver, ing lus overtly Leftst period: ferment, a new ”Ideas Have Ideas Are Weapons. Nationalist Consequences.” Thus, whereas most conser- International, a Of course, Sam vative and libertarian intel- Righ t-wing Francis con- lectuals, including his two International, a cedes, but what fellow paleo syndicated col- Fifth Inter- they have all umnists, Joe Sobran and Pat national, an neglected are Buchanan, are grounded in a international of the crucial que moralistic tradition of politi- disparate and tions: what and cal philosophy, Sam Francis sovereign who decides brings to us the fruits of a nationalities, whid ideas get quite different tradition in each free and adopted, to Western thought: realistic, independent, generate those hard-boiled political mdysk. each on its own consequences? This is the tradition pio- land. Contrary As Francis puts neered by the notorious to popular it, with his typi- Machiavelli, developed by notions, there cal blend of the great turn-of-the twenti- is nothing at all powerful rea- eth century Italian political contradictory soning and theorists Viedo Pareto and about a nation- mordant wit: Gaetano Moxa, and brought alist interna- ”Ideas do have to modern conservatism by tional, a free and genuine consequences, but some James Burnham, on whose comity of sovereign nations.. ideas have more conse- political thought Sam Francis quences than others, and has written a previous vol- which consequences ensue ume. It is a tradition crystal- The Franciscan from which ideas is settled lized in by far the best thing not simply because the ideas V.I. Lenin ever wrote: the title serve human reason through to one of his numerous A review of Samuel Francis, their logical implications but essays: Who? Whom? In Bea utifil Losers: Essays on also because some ideas serve other words: in analyzing the Fadmofhencan Con- human interests and emo- politics or any actions of the servatkm (University of Mis- tions thmugh their attachment State, the crucial question to souri Press, 1993), 237 pp. to drives for political, eco- ask is whois shafting whom? by M. nomic, and social power, Or,to put it in the language of N. R. whileotherideasdonot.” (p3). modern game theory, politics In the Introduction to this is a ”zeresum game,” and so brilliant collection of essays, Dr. Realistic Analysis First all State action is a process by Samuel Francis crystallizes Which ideas get adopted, in which winners can only ben- one of his unique contribu- short, is not simply a matter efit at the expense of losers. tions to modern conservative of pure reason in behalf of As a result, while moralistic thought.Sine World War II, he moral principle or of what political philosophers think points out, conservative system of laws or institutions or write in terms of moral

11 July 1994