Reading yet again about a failed government in Italy (“Pasta and Fries,” February 24, 2007), which changes governments at a rate of about one a year ever since World War II, one cannot but wonder about this ongoing experiment in, well, anarchy. Just like Somalia, an erstwhile colony, Italy does function. After a fashion, at least. Besides, Italian economy surprises from time to time with results one would expect from a well-run country only. All of which points at the possibility that anarchy is not such a bad thing after all. Italy and Somalia may in time offer many a useful clue about the future of the planet if things turn for the worse—energy crisis, climate change, worldwide terrorism, and such like. Perhaps it is time to start learning from these two countries rather than pitying them as political basket cases, as you seem to do.