ITAL 20X Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Southern Italy
Document Summary
South in post wwii period: largely agricultural, system of powerful landowners, remote from heart of political power , lack of any industrial sector- no industrial investment bc no interest in south; northern. Italy viewed south as high unemployment, irresponsible, dishonest work ethic; nothing appealing about south: lack of infrastructures, presence of a strong secessionist movement to make south independent, south viewed as backward. Images of the south: backward- nature of people, not historic conditions, amoral familism- family is central unit to societal structure; trustworthy northerners never really believed this, fragmented- people don"t cooperate among themselves; don"t follow laws, patriarchal, barbaric. 1950s: two initiatives: cassa per il mezzogiorno. Boost industry- financial incentives to industry that required large items like steel. Industries grow capital from private industries never happened so gov stopped investing bc not feasible. South felt cheated ^ bc thought gov would help agriculture succeed. Created bureaucracy to administer funds which causes corruption: agrarian reform.
