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Republicans believe in a general interest that prevails on special interests- they think that all citizens are equal before the law, that the State should stay at a distance from all religious beliefs, that public order has to be kept against all serious and minor offences.

In his article Professor Viroli, who teaches at Princeton University, in the USA, is clearly outlining the Republican thought. Yet, explaining to an English speaking audience what means lay and republican is no easy task. Lay for an Englishman or an American has a Church connection, while in the Latin world, the lay is a person who thinks that State and Church should remain apart, a person who thinks that the interests of the State, and of all its citizens, are quite apart from the Church’s.
 
 

Being republican, Professor Viroli says, means reaffirming the duty of all parents to educate their children, of immigrants to respect the peculiar character of public places, of students, to respect the order in schools, of teachers, whose duty is teaching, of all citizens, that must abide to the laws, even those against racial discrimination, of politicians, that should be called to answer for the results of their activity.
 
 

Being republican means respect and defence of the homeland, a duty that we should not leave to the extreme right wing forces .

Professor Viroli says that these ideas, recently outlined in a manifesto on the French paper Le Monde, have a vivid meaning in Italy, where the history of the last fifty years took a different path, where taxes are not paid according to justice, where people who live according to their own interests are highly considered by society.

These are the basic ideas of republicanism, they are also the basic ideas of liberalism, as the latter is originating from republicanism.
 
 

Sauro Mattarelli writes on the difference between liberalism and republicanism. Republicanism, he says, is different from other political ideas that were developed during the last centuries. It deals with republican

virtues of civil responsibility, love for the homeland, aspiration for an united Europe. How does it link to the thoughts of Giuseppe Mazzini? I think - says Mattarelli – that Mazzini’s ideas are equal to the new republicanism. It is an idea strengthened after a reflection on the points that link Mazzini’ s thoughts to the long history of republicanism to the praxis of democracy, of liberty, of democratic socialism.

These are ideas that have a clear practical impact. While globalisation tends to transcend democracy, new questions have arisen. How should a State that renounced nuclear power react to another State that has built a nuclear power plant close to its borders?

Europe cannot be united only by Central Banks, but it should arise from a free union of people, each and one having the conscience of its own peculiar identity.

And, who chooses the ruling class? Are the best people really chosen to rule our countries?

In these last years a great demand for more freedom has arisen in Europe as well as in Italy. Often, we discover that this demand is just the request for more money for private (religious) schools, request for firing people more easily, that is a lesser protection for the working people. Are we really sure that for the thousands of unemployed people this freedom is really important? This freedom keeps no interest for social justice, it advocates people not interested in political representation.

We, the republican, who never were socialist or communist, we have the duty to show intellectuals, political forces, citizens, the way of republicanism. It is a way that is beyond socialism and the new right as expressed in Italy.

Mazzini, in his writings, depicted the same scenarios that the socialists used in their writing, but his ideas remained dead because of history. Now, we should goes back to those writing, now that we have seen that liberalism is not enough, that the new right would bring us to totalitarism.

But of course on our web site you will find much more than that. You'll find an article on the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the revolt in Fontanabuona Valley, just beside the Riviera. There is none to celebrate, we think. It was just a country revolt against the ideals put forwards by the French Revolution that eventually became part of out daily life. And then our historical part- the history of Democratic Rapallo (the town where we live). Though a catholic stronghold, the town has been part of the movement for a country indipendent from Vatican influence. We quote some aspect of this.
More, some pages are devoted to local history, with no political leaning.
As usual we provide the latest edition of the cultural quarterly Pensiero Mazziniano, the full content, plus an article choice.
The book section provide with a good selection- a biography of Giuseppe Mazzini and a recount of his years in London, where he worked for the improvements of  Italian migrants.
Also, a small book on the Romagna, in Northern Italy, a region so influenced by republicanism.
At last, Tigullio Repubblicano gives you a full list of links to other republican web sites.
This and more you can find. If you want to know more but cannot read Italian just send an e-mail agpendo@tin.itand we'll provide a translation with the part you like.