Ricerc@Sapienza

Who were the regional winners and losers of Italy's unification? The question is widely debated, both among scholars and in the broader public, but often on the basis of poorly-documented narratives. Regional development indicators after Italy's unification are readily available. But the lack of systematic indicators before the unification are entirely missing. This project builds a first-ever database that tracks regional economic performances, measured by real wages, on the Italian peninsula all the way back to the 1500. To help explain the observed trends, the project also considers the fundamentals of economic growth - geography, institutions, and culture - recording how these factors evolved over time. The resulting database is able to answer essential questions about Italy's long-run economic performance and regional gaps. In particular, how far back in time does the north-south divide extend? What regions benefitted from the unification and what regions lost out? Did the unification strengthen or weaken Italy's position on the international arena? What can be learned from Italy's regional past to help understand and reduce today's regional gaps and improve the country's overall international position? The project's database will serve as a key reference point in future debates about the origins and long-term evolution of Italy's regional gaps alongside the country's overall economic prospects.