The Growth of the Italian Economy, 1820–1960

A brief, up-to-date account of Italy's transformation from an agrarian state to an industrial powerhouse.

Jon Cohen (Author), Giovanni Federico (Author)

9780521666923, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 6 September 2001

146 pages, 9 tables
22.1 x 14 x 1.5 cm, 0.29 kg

'Jon Cohen and Giovanni Federico have produced a true tour de force … admirable work, with a highly scholarly content relative to its pagination. I recommend it unreservedly to those who want to learn about the status of research on Italian economic development and about this development itself.' Financial History Review

This volume in the New Studies in Economic and Social History series examines Italy's transformation from a largely rural state in the nineteenth century to today's industrial powerhouse. At the time of unification in 1861, much of the country was backward, poor, and agrarian: few would have believed that a hundred years later Italy would become one of the seven largest industrial countries, its people among the wealthiest in the world. This process of development and structural change has generated an enormous and evolving literature, alive with controversies and compelling insights. New research and reinterpretation of existing data have led to a reevaluation of the nature of Italian Dualism, while revisions to national income accounts are modifying the traditional picture of economic growth. Jon Cohen and Giovanni Federico provide a concise, up-to-date account of this literature, highlighting new views on old issues, and signalling areas in need of further research.

1. Introduction
2. Measuring change in the long run: the data
3. The big picture: models of growth and structural change
4. Modernization versus tradition: new views and old on agriculture
5. Against all odds? The growth of industry and services
6. Macroeconomic policy, institutions, and the balance of payments
7. An economic miracle? Italy in the Golden Age, 1945–63
8. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Economic history [KCZ], 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000 [HBLW], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], European history [HBJD]