The Role of Culture in Italian Economic History, 1861-2021

This edited volume reinterprets Italy’s economic development through the lens of culture. Building on Nicola Rossi’s earlier monograph, this book argues that Italy’s long-term economic performance is best explained not by institutions or resources alone, but by enduring cultural attitudes; particularly a persistent scepticism toward markets, innovation, and economic modernity.

Bringing together contributions from scholars across economics, history, sociology, law, and cultural studies, the volume examines how these attitudes are expressed in domains such as literature, cinema, education, fashion, legal systems, and public discourse. It treats these cultural “conversations” as key evidence of how Italians have understood and debated growth, modernity, and state intervention over time. The book is structured in two parts: the first traces long-term cultural continuities since unification, while the second examines the post-war “economic miracle” as a brief period in which a pro-growth culture temporarily prevailed before receding. Overall, the volume offers an interdisciplinary account of how cultural beliefs have shaped Italy’s economic trajectory and its tensions with modern economic change.