Introduction to the Charter of Chivasso
The
present “Declaration of the representatives of the Alpine
populations”, better known as the Charter of Chivasso, was drawn up
on 19 December 1943 in Chivasso (Piedmont), during a clandestine
conference organized by representatives of the Antifascist Resistance
of the Alpine valleys. The small town was chosen because it was
halfway between those who came from the Waldensian valleys and the
Aosta Valley people, as well as easy to reach from
Turin and Milan.
One
of the main protagonists of the meeting was the notary Émile Chanoux
from the Aosta Valley - who died a few months later in a Fascist
prison
The
Charter postulated for Italy the transformation into a federal and
republican political system on a regional and cantonal basis. It
is a fundamental document for historical autonomism, but its audacity
still makes it an inspiration for a modern decentralization, a
territorialism for the 21st century.
The
Charter of Chivasso is dated, but certainly not dusty. His words are
incredibly alive. It has the very force of an evangelical "Sermon
on the Mount" for those who believe that self-government, at the
lowest level permitted by history and nature, is the most humane way
for humans to organize themselves politically.
Chivasso, 13 December 2023
Mauro Vaiani Ph.D.
(Autonomies and Environment interterritorial secretariat -
segreteria interterritoriale di Autonomie e Ambiente)
PS:
I thank my beloved friend Eric Canepa, for his kind help (M.V.).
The Charter of Chivasso (full English translation)
What the representatives of these valleys have
stated, applies to all territories
(Émile
Chanoux)
The Charter of Chivasso 1943
(aka Chivasso Declaration)
We,
the populations of the Alpine Valleys,
NOTING
that
the twenty years of leveling and centralizing misgovernment
summarized by the brutal and boastful motto of ‘Roma Doma’, have
had the following painful and significant results for our Valleys:
POLITICAL
OPPRESSION, through the work of its political and administrative
agents (soldiers, commissioners, prefects, federal officials,
teachers), petty despots who are oblivious and ignorant of any local
tradition, of which they were zealous destroyers;
ECONOMIC
RUIN, through the dilapidation of forestry and agricultural assets,
the ban on emigration with the hermetic closure of the borders, the
effective lack of technical and financial organization of
agriculture, masked by the empty display of central assistance, and
the incapacity to establish a modern tourist structure, respectful of
our localities, all of which are conditions that have resulted in
Alpine depopulation;
DESTRUCTION
OF LOCAL CULTURE, through the suppression of the fundamental language
of the area, where it exists, the brutal and clumsy transformation
into Italian of local names and inscriptions, the closure of schools
and autonomous institutes, a cultural heritage which is also an asset
for the purposes of temporary migration abroad.
AFFIRMING
that
freedom of language, like freedom of worship, is an essential
condition for the protection of the human personality;
that
federalism is the most suitable framework to provide the guarantees
of this individual and collective right and represents the solution
to the problems of small nationalities and minor ethnic groups,
enabling the definitive liquidation of the historical phenomenon of
irredentism, guaranteeing in a future European construct the
establishment of a stable and lasting peace;
that
a democratic republican regime with a regional and cantonal basis is
the only guarantee against a return of the dictatorship which found
in the centralized Italian monarchic state the ready-made instrument
for its domination of the country; that in this democratic-federal
regime the working classes must certainly see their rights
safeguarded with the appropriate worker autonomy in order to prevent
any capitalist return;
and
that this would be faithful to the best spirit of the Risorgimento.
WE
DECLARE the following.
POLITICAL-ADMINISTRATIVE
AUTONOMY:
In
the general framework of the next Italian State, which, economically
and administratively, we hope will be organized on federalist
criteria and politically on democratic principles, we seek the
recognition of the right of the Alpine Valleys to form autonomous
political-administrative communities of the cantonal type.
As
such, they will be assured, whatever their numerical size, at least
one seat in the regional and national legislative assemblies.
The
exercise of local, municipal and cantonal political and
administrative functions must be entrusted to elements native to the
place or having stable residence there for a specific number of years
which will be determined by the local assemblies.
AUTONOMY
OF CULTURE AND SCHOOLS:
Due
to their geographical position as intermediaries between different
cultures, respect for their traditions and their ethnic personality,
and for the advantages deriving from the knowledge of different
languages, in the Alpine Valleys a particular cultural and linguistic
autonomy must be fully respected and guaranteed, consisting in:
The
right to use the local language, where it exists, alongside Italian
in all public documents and in the local press.
The
right to teach the local language in schools of all levels with the
necessary guarantees in competitions so that teachers are suitable to
teach it. Teaching will generally be under the control and direction
of a local council.
The
immediate restoration of all local names.
ECONOMIC
AUTONOMY:
To
facilitate the development of the mountain economy and consequently
combat the depopulation of the Alpine Valleys, the following is
necessary:
A
comprehensive system of taxation of the industries located in the
Alpine cantons (hydroelectric, mining, tourism and processing, etc.),
so that a part of their profits returns to the Alpine Valleys and
this regardless of whether these industries are collectivized or not.
A
system of fair tax reduction that varies from area to area depending
on the richness of the land and the prevalence of agriculture,
forestry or pastoralism.
A
rational and substantial agrarian reform including:
the
unification of agricultural family ownership, which is too fragmented
today, with the aim of improving business performance through land
exchanges and compensation and through adequate legislation;
the
technical-agricultural assistance provided by resident personnel ,
having, for example, teaching duties in local schools, some of whose
subject matter may have agricultural relevance;
the
strengthening by the local authority of economic life through free
production and consumption cooperatives.
The
strengthening of industry which leads to the formation of an advanced
and capable working class. For this purpose, the control or
administration of local businesses may also be entrusted, where
necessary, to the regional or cantonal administration, even in the
case of collectivist organization, of local enterprises.
The
dependence of local public works on the cantonal administration and
the latter's control over all services and concessions of a public
nature.
- - -
We,
the representatives of the Alpine Valleys, want to see these
principles affirmed by the new Italian State, just as we also want
them to be affirmed in the case of those Italians who are or could
find themselves under foreign political domination, and we proclaim
them today with the certainty that in doing so we are serving the
interests and aspirations of all those who, like us, believe in the
ideals of freedom and justice.
Chivasso,
19 December 1943
* * *
The present
English translation from the original Italian text was edited by
Autonomies and Environment interterritorial secretariat on 11
december 2023 and first published by European Free Alliance (EFA) here: https://e-f-a.org/2023/12/12/charter-of-chivasso-80-anniversary/.
The main political event to celebrate the 80° anniversary was organized by Autonomies and Environment Pact (Patto Autonomie e Ambiente), along with EFA, in Chivasso, on 16 December 2023.
To
learn more about the values of the Charter of Chivasso, and how the
political work of the Autonomies and Environment Pact develops on it,
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Information:
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