Booklet 4- to what extent was the true unification of Italy only geographical by 1871

Question 1

2 Points raised in introduction

Answer 1

1) Italy was legally bound together as a geographical country with venetia (ceded by France after Austro-Prussian war) and Rome (French leave in 1870 for franco prussian war)
2) Although unified by land, social, political and economical problems continued with lack of unity between north and south.

Question 2

Factor one- geographical, for and against argument

Answer 2

+ North of Italy legally unified (bar Venetia) since March 1861 after Cavour plebiscites annexed Emilia to piedmont (426,000 to 1506 votes), following 2nd war of independence (France giving Lombardy to Piedmont would suggest a lack of real geographical unity, more like they’ve been forced together)
-Southern question forced by Garibaldi and his expedition, Cavour and VE had no interest in the south otherwise.

• irredentism, nationalists believed Italian speakers not in Italy eg savoy and Nice needed to be reclaimed, showing not all shared idea of complete unity by 1871, although it undermines geographical unity to an extent, extreme view shared by small group of people ( not significant). Areas of Italy forced together via ceding of Lombardy and Venetia after years of Austrian rule

Question 3

Factor 2- political unity for and against

Answer 3

+ the army and navy was united by 1871, had 215,000 members and 2 million reserves by 1871, was funded with a quarter of national expenditure. In 3rd war of Italian independence 1866, army still fought to defend whole of Italy against Austria. Idea of Italy being a self protected unified nation existed, even if the army was aided by Prussia. Casati law in 1859 made primary education compulsory

• piedmontisation, Piedmont (political hub) enrolled legal system across all country, changed 53 decrees in two days (Naples) piedmont failed to recognise pre existing differing circumstances in south, Mafia easily able to corrupt the system. Piedmont lacked empathy and political unity suffered as differing legal situations existed across county.
  Fractious cohabitation between pope and state, pope had widespread influence due to 90% of Italy being catholic. Pope refused to recognise Italian state until 1920s and declared himself prisoner of the vatican.

Question 4

Factor three- economical divides

Answer 4

-all customs, coins, weights and measures standardised across states in theory to smooth transactions between countries

-the north benefited from the running water from the Alps for their power whereas southern industries did not have access to this
Economical divide existed between north n south, to pay 2.5 billion lire war debt, flour tax in 1865 and grist tax in 1868 (already unpopular) introduced. Led to 250 deaths 1000 wounds from riots. The lazzaroni in the south were already poor, and many had to sell land and move as taxes crippled them further. Riots are good example of disunity, Italy can’t be economically unified if northern policies worsen lives of southerners
-2382 monasteries closed down, which was regressive in the south as the poorer people relied on the money and charity of the institutions
-only 57% of pre 1870 stock converted to lire by 1870

Question 5

Factor 4- social divides ( brigands war)

Answer 5

Brigands war- 1861-65 82,000 bandits v 90000 troops in a civil war with more deaths than all independence wars, supports statement as socially there was resentment between north and south. Can’t get more divided than a civil war, showing social and political problems were evident in 1860s. Took young farmers away from farms due to conscription and criminalised many people who were guilty by association with brigands (if they refused to declare themselves not a brigand)
-fractious cohabitation with the pope meant people had to choose between supporting the state or the Popes education
-a land redistribution of 9million acres of church land meant that some peasants in the north got access to land but in the south it was bought again by the rich
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Question 6

Overall conclusion

Answer 6

• Undeniable that Italy legally unified by 1871, north already unified, and the rest unified by more Cavour plebiscites.
• irredentism too extreme and not well supported to undermine geographical unity
• however, little evidence of any other unity, as creating new country from progressive piedmont system that wasn’t present in the south meant political, social and economical factors weren’t standardised across country.
• army only evidence of political/ any other unity, as north recognised south as part of their country and stocked army to protect whole of Italy