Ep6 - RearmEU Trap: Europe's Dangerous Echoes of 1914's First World War
Navigating YouTube, we came across some videos discussing European rearmament and discovered that popular movements are emerging across Europe, including in Italy, to oppose this rearmament. (For more information, you can visit 'stoprearm.org'). This is understandable, especially given that even the Italian Constitution states that Italy repudiates war. In fact, on this note, we would like to remind you what Article 11 of our Constitution says:
'Italy repudiates war as an instrument of aggression against the liberty of other peoples and as a means for the settlement of international disputes; it agrees, on condition of parity with the other States, to limitations of sovereignty necessary for an order that assures peace and justice among Nations; it promotes and encourages international organizations having such ends.'
In essence, Article 11 states that Italy is a pacifist country, rejecting offensive war, accepting international cooperation that fosters peace and justice, and participating in international bodies with this objective, even by accepting limits to its own sovereignty, but only if shared equally.
Therefore, Italy is willing to accept certain decisions from international bodies like NATO, but only within the limits of Article 11:
Limitations must be voluntary, reciprocal, and justified by objectives of peace and justice.
Offensive wars are not permitted, not even under the umbrella of NATO.
Every military intervention requires careful political and constitutional evaluation, with parliamentary involvement.
In case of a contradiction between an international commitment and Article 11, the Constitution prevails.
The choice of the word 'repudiates' is not accidental. To repudiate is a very strong verb, indicating a radical, total, unambiguous condemnation. It does not mean:
'avoiding' war,
nor 'not preferring' it,
nor 'limiting' it, but firmly rejecting it morally and legally, dismissing it as unacceptable.
The Constitution dates back to 1948, and thus:
It was written in the aftermath of the Second World War and the fascist dictatorship.
It stems from a deep desire for a break with the warlike and authoritarian past.
The Constituent Fathers wanted to affirm that Italy would never again be an aggressor country.
So, it wasn't just a terminological choice: it was a declaration of moral and political principle, a solemn break with the fascist and militaristic past.
Well, now that we have recalled these very important points that perhaps are being forgotten lately, let's return to the YouTube videos. Purely by chance, we discovered that popular movements against European rearmament are emerging in Europe and Italy.
Among the videos that struck us, there is one we would like to share. It is a video message from the renowned Italian historian Alessandro Barbero delivered on the occasion of the 'No to Rearmament – Let's Stop Them' demonstration projected on the stage of the Imperial Fora (Rome, April 5, 2025). Here is the full text of the video:
'Good morning everyone. I'm sorry I can't be physically there with you in the square, but I assure you I'm there with all my heart. I am.
So, as a historian, what can I say on an occasion like this? Well, we historians are often asked: "What period of the past does our current era resemble?"
Unfortunately, lately, I increasingly feel that our era frighteningly resembles the years preceding the outbreak of the First World War in 1914...