North/South divide Flashcards
What did enjoying a multitude of advantages over the south mean for the north
It was much more densely populated
What did the North hold the bulk of
Raw materials
Where was most industry concentrated?
The Milan, Turin, Genoa triangle, all of which were cities in the north
How much railtrack was there in the North and south?
1750km in the north, but only 100km in the south
Why had small scale agriculture made more progress in the north?
Because of a more favourable climate
What was the south referred to as due to its unfavourable climate?
mezzogiornio, due to the strength of the midday sun, which served to erode the top soil and make the southern land unsuitable for crop growth
Who were the latifundia?
Absentee landlords. They showed little concern for their labourers and failed to improve farming methods
Which classes of people were abundant in the north?
The aristoracy, professional middle classes and skilled artisans who enjoyed a sophisticated lifestyle and a higher standard of living than those in the south
Living standards of southerners rarely rose above what?
subsistence levels
What % of Italy’s population were illiterate?
77
What % of southerners were illiterate?
87
How did Southerners react to their disadvantage?
They engaged in violence and banditry
What state was the Southern economy in?
It was largely feudal, meaning there was little social mobility for the struggling peasants. Most land was owned by northern latifundia. When 500,000 acres of church lnd was auctioned off, the vast majority was bought buy those in the north, as only they could afford to bid
How did the corn laws disadvantage the south?
They raised imports duties by 14-75 lire to incentivise domestic growth. This was simply not a possiblilty in the south due to the harsh climate, meaning that they were more reliant on imports and so more negatively impacted by the tax. France then raised their own tariffs on primarily southern goods like wine and olives retaliation
What did the economic hardships lead many southerners to do?
Emigrate, often to the north or the USA
