The latest issue of the Quaderni dell’IRER (Istituto Regionale di Ricerca della Lombardia – Regional Research Institute of Lombardy) contains the proceedings of the June 2006 conference on Technical and scientific innovation, democratic innovation. The opening paper, entitled Governance and technical and scientific innovation, raises a number of questions: who creates innovation in the modern world? And are those who create innovation aware of their own responsibility? How might we promote responsible innovation? “In a complex society,” writes Piero Bassetti, “we cannot assume that the solution to the problem should come exclusively from public institutions: the power to change our lives […] no longer has one Prince alone. Neither does this power lie with the scientist or entrepreneur: we have built a system in which no one might have this power, and this is dangerous. Yet this means that everyone has a part of this power. Consequently, we are called upon to manage this issue within institutions as a political problem, preferably as part of a bottom-up process.” (p. 21)
The debate on these issues that the Giannino Bassetti Foundation has been promoting for some time now has led to important political developments: the issue of deliberative democracy lies at the heart of political interest today, so much so that Giuseppe Adamoli, President of the Special Statute Commission, made explicit reference to responsible innovation during the 3 July 2007 meeting of the Regional Council of Lombardy.
Indeed, the Lombardy Region is currently drafting its new Statute, the first version of which should be approved by Spring 2008. It is a tool which, according to Adamoli, should have a “highly innovative cast”. If innovation implies difficult decisions, politics must take on those decisions.
In his remarks, Giuseppe Adamoli referred to the IRER conference as he spoke of the challenge that awaits the Region as it drafts its new Statute: “There is also a great challenge which our Region must face. It is a challenge referred to by Piero Bassetti, the first President of the Region of Lombardy, at a conference organized last year by the IRER on “Technical and scientific innovation, democratic innovation”. Bassetti spoke about “responsibility in innovation”, and expressed his hope that Lombardy would face this responsibility directly and commit itself to governing this issue in its own Statute, leading the way for other Italian regions. It is a complex issue that calls for the participation of society’s leading innovative forces in the administrative and legislative procedures I mentioned previously.”
“The Regions,” added Adamoli, “were introduced to enhance the structure of the State’s political organization, reduce bureaucracy and bring citizens closer to public decision-making, beginning with legislation. While this latter objective has largely been met, dissatisfaction with other objectives is entirely justified. Naturally, this problem is mainly of a general and national political nature. But as for statutory, electoral and regulatory rules, our responsibility as “regional constituents” remains important and we must assume this responsibility in full.”
The convergence between Giuseppe Adamoli’s position and the thinking of the Bassetti Foundation is clear.