You are right, but those outside forces are really strong. I had to fight only to study abroad, which is seen as a waste of time and possible drawback on your cv (because you spent time studying abroad instead of studying for real...).

The only way not to sound like an Italian just complaining about outside forces is to leave the country. But than that is also not useful for Italy. So, you see the problem?

how does B follow from A?

    The only way not to sound like an Italian just complaining about outside forces is to leave the country. 

there is by definition one simple way not to sound like someone complaining about outside forces: don't complain. If you start by the assumption that it's impossible to do so in country X you have already decided to be in the "it's not my fault" camp.

There are two aspects to this, that people are missing:

1) On a personal level, you absolutely must be optimistic and try and do everything you can to create a company if that's what you want, but also to push the system to change and improve.

2) Statistically speaking, it's pretty obvious that messy taxes, bureaucracy and so on, do have negative effects at the margin, so taken as a whole, they're absolutely a valid thing to complain about.

The key distinction is to stay as far as possible from the poisonous ponderings about how it's not possible to do anything and it's all stacked against me and blah blah blah, which is all just a big excuse not to try.

I am not sure where are you from. I come from the area described in "Gomorra" by Saviano. We have rampant criminality and corruption. People get actually shouted around here.

Those are outside forces that will come and knock to your door as soon as your activity start to be profitable. People will ask you for money or favors or they will just make your life difficult just so they don't have to envy your success.

So, you are right, but you are also taking a superficial look at the problem. Of course you can start a company, but you will have to be much stronger and determinate and be able to deal with the fact that nobody, not even your family and friends, will support you.

small town close to rome (with a decent share of corruption, crime and immobilism) but how does that relate?

I was only stating that the reasoning in your previous comment is incorrect (which, by the way, it's about italy, not your area).

I am not dumb enough to disagree on the general topic of "it's harder to start a company in corleone than in san francisco", I'm just worried by blanket statements from young people that the only chance to succeed is to change country.

Consider antirez, who ran a (successful, AFAIK) company from sicily or ciaopeople which has a decent business and is based in naples. It's harder yes, but the first N steps should be trying and failing, and only N+1 should be giving up to blaming outside forces.

Couldn't agree more. Is it difficult to create a successful startup in Italy? Yes. Is it impossible? Absolutely not. I'm trying with mine and I'm pretty confident I'll do it in a few more months.