Why Italy's Economy is Failing...

... or "Is Italy too Italian?"

I think this article is very representative of the culture that I got a glimpse of while I was in Rome. The small artisan shop keepers are cliquish and, Americans might argue, overpriced, yes; but I think it is dangerous to assume that Italy should abandon it's celebrated tradition and commitment to quality, simply because the rest of the world is growing at a faster rate. The US economy is only "growing" so quickly because we outsource everything to cheaper labor in China. If we're not careful, China will control or own 90% of the world's GDP in a decade. I think Italy needs to stick by its traditions. In my opinion, that's part of the reason why Europe, or at least Italy, has such a different and frankly, more enjoyable, atmosphere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/business/global/01italy.html