Contribution au problème des aires déprimées : l'exemple du Mezzogiorno

[eng] SUMMARY Tlie depression of Southern regions of ly differs from the phenomenon of under development which Is widespread in other backward countries Dating from the formation of united Italy it may be explained by the failure of the economic and social integration of these regions in the new state This failure can be attributed to whole serie of factors charac teristic of the economic regression disproportion between population and resources pressure of the demographic evolution on the economic structure rigidity of the social organization and sclerosis of the mental structure But the attitude of the Italian public administration has been an especially influential factor neglecting ttie structural differences between the North and the South and identifying the interests of Northern industry with that of Italy the government carried out for nearly century an economic policy which has systematically aggravated the Southern depression Since the end of the last war the sudden awareness of the miserable conditions of the life of these populations and of the effects which result for the Italian economy as whole has given impetus to the application of development policy in the Mezzogiorno But this one is chiefly directed towards agriculture when only indus trialisation of these regions is capable of leading to state of full employ ment and of promoting the growth of Italian economy