buone coscienze a buon mercato

English translation: to be a cheap way to buy a good conscience

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Italian term or phrase:buone coscienze a buon mercato
English translation:to be a cheap way to buy a good conscience
Entered by: Olga Buongiorno

08:27 Jun 27, 2008
Italian to English translations [PRO]
Government / Politics
Italian term or phrase: buone coscienze a buon mercato
I'm sure that this is an Italian proverb/saying, but can't think of what it is in English!
FMM
Local time: 04:53
to be a cheap way to buy a good conscience
Explanation:
.

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Note added at 21 min (2008-06-27 08:48:46 GMT)
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In tutta sincerità non so se si tratti di un proverbio, non l'ho mai sentito. Comunque ti fornisco la traduzione:

" Occorre che si convertano in positivo sia quegli assistenzialismi che danno soprattutto buona coscienza a buon mercato e che non salvano coloro cui si rivolgono, sia quelle crudeli e infeconde utopie che sacrificano gli uomini di oggi in nome di un progetto d'uomo e la società di oggi in nome di unprogetto di società"

http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/index.php?func=det...

We need to convert that "do good" aid which above all is a cheap way to buy a good conscience but which does not save those who rely on it, into something positive, both those cruel and infertile utopias which sacrifice men today in the name of a project for men, and today's society in the name of a project for society.



http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/index.php?func=det...
Selected response from:

Olga Buongiorno
Italy
Local time: 05:53
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2to be a cheap way to buy a good conscience
Olga Buongiorno
5cheap morality
savaria (X)
4 +1High morals traded for low prices
Francesco D'Arcangeli
4clean consciences you can buy
Nadia Ayoub
3cheap morals / virtue
irenef


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
cheap morals / virtue


Explanation:
Hi FMM,
This is not an extremely common expression; it is patently sarcastic and you might find it in political/sociological commentaries.

Depending on context, I'd suggest something along these lines:

people with / displaying cheap morals
arguments smacking of cheap virtue

This is the closest rendition I can think of.

HTH
irene

irenef
Local time: 05:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 46
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
cheap morality


Explanation:
Context:

«Un trentennio di democrazia ha sterminato più antifascisti che il fascismo contro cui nacquero. La Resistenza è morta innanzitutto nel cuore e nelle menti dei suoi capi sopravvissuti. I suoi ideali sono scheletrite memorie. In questi eroi di ieri il già fatto è divenuto un alibi per il non fare, per buone coscienze a buon mercato, per moralismi senza moralità. Quel che resta di loro è il nostro strazio nel contemplarli. I nostri giorni si spengono vinti dalla lunga pietas verso questi lari catturati dal nemico.»

Marco Pannella, Corriere della sera, 14 maggio 1976

(citato da http://www.perlentaucher.splinder.com/ ,Marco Pannella, Corriere della sera, 14 maggio 1976)




    Reference: http://associazioneradicalesatyagraha.blogspot.com/2008/05/t...
    Reference: http://www.radicali.it/view.php?id=122795
savaria (X)
Hungary
Local time: 05:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  ELISA GIUSTI: Wow!! Ben 21 uscite su Google! E come mai 3 madrelingua in questa stessa pagina dicono di non averlo mai sentito e l'unica altra dice che non è comune? Chiedevo solo un contesto più ampio, cosa che vedo fare spesso.
2 hrs
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to be a cheap way to buy a good conscience


Explanation:
.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 min (2008-06-27 08:48:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In tutta sincerità non so se si tratti di un proverbio, non l'ho mai sentito. Comunque ti fornisco la traduzione:

" Occorre che si convertano in positivo sia quegli assistenzialismi che danno soprattutto buona coscienza a buon mercato e che non salvano coloro cui si rivolgono, sia quelle crudeli e infeconde utopie che sacrificano gli uomini di oggi in nome di un progetto d'uomo e la società di oggi in nome di unprogetto di società"

http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/index.php?func=det...

We need to convert that "do good" aid which above all is a cheap way to buy a good conscience but which does not save those who rely on it, into something positive, both those cruel and infertile utopias which sacrifice men today in the name of a project for men, and today's society in the name of a project for society.



http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/index.php?func=det...

Olga Buongiorno
Italy
Local time: 05:53
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Shera Lyn Parpia
23 hrs
  -> Grazie Shera

agree  luskie
1 day 39 mins
  -> Grazie luskie
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
clean consciences you can buy


Explanation:
the usual expression being: you can't buy a clean conscience.

Nadia Ayoub
Egypt
Local time: 05:53
Native speaker of: Arabic
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
High morals traded for low prices


Language variant: Righteous morals at wicked prices

Explanation:
Never heard about the Italian proverb, in any case here are a pair of alternatives. The second one is far more colloquial (at least it seems so to me).

Francesco D'Arcangeli
Italy
Local time: 05:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  luskie
23 hrs
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