That Berlusconi can still threaten to bring down the Monti government and play the kingmaker by withdrawing his support shows to what extent his legacy will haunt Italian politics.

Imagine a world in which up to one half of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) was not taxed. Imagine capitalist investors and heads of companies escaping the long-handed reach of state coffers, thereby avoiding their due contribution of hundreds of millions of dollars to the very citizenry that helped create their wealth to begin with.

The situation has grown so dire that it has forced Berlusconi, who has dominated Italian politics for decades and survived over 50 votes of confidence, to announce that he will resign after austerity measures are passed.