Posted on 02/04/2018 3:43:05 PM PST by nickcarraway
If you want good job prospects, affordable living and political stability, you're better off in China than Italy, according to a new global survey. The 2018 Best Countries report places Italy 22nd out of 80 countries for quality of life – behind Canada, the Nordic countries, the UK, the US and China, among others.
Overall Italy places 15th on the list, which is based on global perceptions. More than 21,000 people worldwide scored countries on factors including liveability, global influence, culture and economic appeal.
While Italy got top marks for cultural influence, heritage and adventure, it floundered in the 'open for business' and entrepreneurship categories.
Italy's overall 2018 ranking.
While Italy's economic woes are well known, what's more surprising – to the Italian press, at least – is how poorly people rank Italy for quality of life, which has long been the country's trump card.
The fact that Italy doesn't even make the top 20 is a "sign that perhaps the bureaucracy, the lack of services, precarious employment and general fragility of rules typical of the Bel paese ultimately count for more than climate or food", observes La Stampa.
A breakdown of how participants scored Italy for quality of life.
The picture of Italy that emerges from the ranking is of a country that's better to visit than to live in.
"While Italy may make an ideal tourist destination, life in the country is more complicated," the report noted, pointing to organized crime, corruption, the gender gap, youth unemployment, an ageing population, tensions over immigration and rising populism in politics as some of the underlying causes for concern.
Many foreigners who move to Italy report being disappointed with what they find: according to one recent expat survey, around 50 percent of respondents said they were unhappy with their job prospects in Italy and earned less than they had at home.
READ ALSO: 'If you want to move to Italy, brace yourselves for things not going the way you want'
The picture may vary according to where in Italy you live. National surveys consistently find a broad gap between the quality of life in the north of Italy, home to most of the country's industry and commerce, and in the poorer south, where income and life expectancy are typically lower.
Despite its drawbacks, Italy rose one place in the overall Best Countries ranking this year: in 2017 it placed 16th, with a similar distribution of scores.
The top-ranked country, both this year and last, was Switzerland.
Now in its third year, the the Best Countries report is a joint project by digital news service US News & World Report, marketing company Y&R and the Wharton School, a business school at the University of Pennsylvania.
Are a lot of Italians trying to move to China? If not, I’m going to say these survey results are ... not entirely congruent with real experience.
Aye caramba!
China doesn’t allow endless invasions by Muslim jihadist.
Do not misunderstand, China has problems, I’ve lived in China and visited Italy. My bicycles are all, with one exception Campagnolo equipped, but; if I had the choice of living in one of the two places, I might very well choose China. Ten years ago before president Xi, it would have been no contest.
For a place that invented plumbing I can tell you the bathrooms suck.
In France they have these water fountains in the bath...
China has Moslems already, although that means they’re not a surprise, as they seem to be in Italy.
Is anyone other than North Koreans trying to bust into China?
Italy is being overwhelmed by Muslim invaders from Sub Saharan Africa. It wiil get much much worse.
Italy is a difficult country. Particularly if you are American. They don’t do much and it takes forever.
Italians do not see a problem, but others do.
Italy is like living in the DMV, with wine.
I have not been there, so I will take your word for it. My mother was going to take me to Rome when she was 75, but my father was ill, and I had a baby. She'll be 80 this year, and I don't have a baby, and my father passed away three years ago, but she hasn't made me any offers. Maybe when I'm 75 ...
On the other hand, China might be like living in a crummy public housing project, without wine.
TC we can go to Italy together. I have been trying to get my mother’s birth certificate. To apply for citizenship.
I am an old lady compared to you, but we could have fun!
LOL !! Living in the DMV with wine! LOL
Proprio Sulla! Perfecto!
lol
Italy is 2 different countries, north and south. South Italy is already a complete sheeyat hole and is getting worse by the day with migrants pouring in from Africa.
China has, I believe negative immigration (More people leaving than coming. The Westerners I met there were, generally speaking, either married to a Chinese or in China for business, or some type of missionary/teacher/aid worker type occupation.
My wife is originally from Shanghai, we lived in Hong Kong for many years and my Ph.D. is from a Chinese university. (I am, as far as the university could discover the first US citizen to get an earned Ph.D. from a university in the PRC.)
The Muslims in the west are watched really closely and get whacked if they step out of line.
Recently the PRC has been engaging in more totalitarian practices and beginning to restrict the freedom of the population. Under Deng and Jaing Zemin China was rapidly becoming a freer place. President Hu slowed that process down and Xi has reversed it.
Hell...
The Food is British
The Police are German
The Cars are French
....and the whole thing is run by Italians
On the other hand, China might be like living in a crummy public housing project, without wine.
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China would be a lot like living in NYC in the 1880s, IMHO< with a heck of a lot of Chinese instead of Jews.
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If I had all the money in the world, I would live in Switzerland and Singapore.
There are lots of Chinese in Italy though...
“Italy’a biggest Chinese community clash with police near Florence”
Italy’s biggest Chinese community clash with police near Florence”
You could also give the old gal some hints. Like “my schedule is open, would you like to take me to Italy?”
Gracia, bene, bene!
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