Above its weight

Random note while I’m thinking of it. Modern Italy punches WAY above its weight in many areas.

Between 1895 and 1940, Fiat and Lancia were major influencers in automotive engineering. Italian clothing, architecture and furniture styles have dominated the world for at least 2300 years. Fiat spread automaking into the Soviet sphere from 1960 to 2000, during and after the USSR. Italian designers shaped all auto styling for the same 40 years. Now Fiat owns about half of US automakers, despite missing out here for the same 40 years when VW and Toyota were in charge.

I’ve also noticed far more Italians than Germans and French in the best scientific research. They’re the most productive Euros, which is admittedly a low bar now. China owns science.