L'Italia post-unitaria

Summary

This video lesson covers Italy’s challenges after unification in 1861, highlighting the nation’s economic, social, and infrastructural struggles. Italy was a divided country, with different dialects, low literacy rates, and a predominantly agricultural economy, particularly in the impoverished south. The government introduced reforms like mandatory military service and new taxes, which led to discontent and uprisings, such as brigandage in the south. Despite efforts to centralize the state and address these issues, problems like regional inequality persisted. The video teases a follow-up on how Italy completed its unification.

Takeaways

• 🇮🇹 The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed in 1861, but the country faced significant challenges in unification.
• 🗣️ Italy was divided linguistically, with Italian spoken mainly in Tuscany and other regions speaking various dialects.
• 📚 Around 75% of the population was illiterate, with the southern regions facing an illiteracy rate of over 90%.
• 🚜 Italy was primarily an agricultural country, with 70% of the population working in agriculture, especially in the underdeveloped southern latifundia.
• 🚂 Italy's infrastructure was underdeveloped, with only 1,800 km of railways compared to France's 10,000 km and England's 15,000 km.
• 🏛️ A centralized state was chosen, requiring reforms in public administration, judiciary, taxation, and education to unify the country.
• 🗳️ Voting rights were limited to wealthy, literate men, leaving most Italians without a say in politics.
• 💸 The historical political group 'Destra Storica' ruled from 1861 to 1876 and supported a centralized government and economic measures to address Italy's debt.
• 🪖 Southern Italy protested against military conscription and taxes, especially the grain tax, which hit the poor the hardest.
• ⚔️ The Southern unrest led to the brigandage phenomenon, a violent uprising supported by former Bourbon forces, locals, and even the exiled Bourbon monarchy.

Q & A

What were the main problems Italy faced after its unification in 1861?

Italy faced many problems after unification, including significant cultural and linguistic differences between regions, a high illiteracy rate, especially in the south, and an economy dominated by agriculture. There was also a lack of infrastructure, such as railways, and a need to unify the administration, judiciary, and military systems.

How widespread was illiteracy in post-unification Italy?

Illiteracy was widespread, with three-quarters of the population unable to read or write. In southern Italy, the illiteracy rate was even higher, exceeding 90%.

What percentage of Italy's population worked in agriculture, and what were the conditions like in the south?

Around 70% of Italy's population worked in agriculture, and conditions in the south were particularly poor. The land was dominated by wealthy landowners (latifundisti), who made little effort to improve agricultural practices, and the laborers were very impoverished.

How did Italy's railway system compare to other European countries in 1861?

Italy had only 1,800 kilometers of railways in 1861, with 850 kilometers located in Piedmont. In contrast, France had 10,000 kilometers, and England had 15,000 kilometers of railways, showing how underdeveloped Italy's infrastructure was.

Who had the right to vote in post-unification Italy?

The right to vote was limited to literate men who owned property or had a certain income. This meant that only around 400,000 out of 22 million Italians, mostly wealthy landowners, professionals, and military officers, could vote.

What was the 'Historical Right,' and what role did they play in early post-unification Italy?

The 'Historical Right' was a political group that controlled Italy’s government from 1861 to 1876. They were heirs of Cavour’s liberal and moderate political ideas and opposed universal suffrage, favoring a strong central government.

Why was a centralist government chosen over a federal system after unification?

A centralist government was chosen because it was seen as a quicker way to unify Italy politically. A federal system, as proposed by Carlo Cattaneo, would have taken longer and could have risked dividing the country further.

What measures did the Historical Right implement to centralize and strengthen the new Italian state?

The Historical Right extended the Statuto Albertino to all of Italy, unified the civil and penal codes, introduced the metric system, established the Italian lira as the national currency, abolished internal tariffs, introduced mandatory military service, and imposed new taxes to address the public debt.

What was the 'Southern Question,' and how did it relate to post-unification Italy?

The 'Southern Question' referred to the economic and social problems of southern Italy, which was much less developed than the north. Issues included poor agricultural practices, widespread poverty, and dissatisfaction with government policies like mandatory military service and new taxes.

What was the phenomenon of brigandage in southern Italy, and how did the government respond?

Brigandage involved bands of outlaws, ex-soldiers, and peasants in southern Italy resisting government authority. The government responded by sending the military, declaring a state of siege, and using brutal tactics such as mass executions and the destruction of villages to suppress the unrest.