[Sprintey]

To be fair, it isn't entirely the Italian (or PIIGS) fault. The euro was designed as a brilliant mechanism whereby the European currencies were averaged - so if you came from the south, your currency averaged up in value and your manufacturers died out, but if you were Germany, you now could export to the world at about a 30% discount. The result of this has been the most amazing mercantilism, just with southern Europe teetering above continual bankruptcy. Add central bank induced bailouts to keep them breathing, and voila!

For Italy, default from Euro, convert to Lira, devalue, uncomfort, then you can design and build and export again - for Italy has a long tradition of awesome engineering.

But I digress.