Cheating. It's the Italian way.

Tax evasion. Italy is built on a foundation of it. Or so Italians tell me. And I believe it. But it’s mainly the rich, the well-off, that come off as the principal villains. They can evade taxes far more easily than the less affluent who are employed as workers, either by the public or private sector. Because taxes are withdrawn from their wages. A professional, such as a doctor or dentist, can more easily avoid taxes. That annoys many Italians who get stuck with the tax bills. But even they find ways to cheat. By moonlighting. By putting their skills to work outside their normal job. And getting paid in cash. So there’s no paper transaction. When I went to an Italian dentist, he wanted to be paid in cash. Not by check or credit card. For obvious reason. Of course, there’s cheating in the U.S., too. But maybe not nearly as pervasive as in Italy. Italians will tell you that virtually everyone cheats. So they do it in good conscience. It’s the Italian way. –Jim Broede