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From public to private: Fascist privatization in 1920s Italyç

Author

Listed:
  • Germà Bel

    (University of Barcelona)

Abstract

"Italy’s first Fascist government applied a large-scale privatization policy between 1922 and 1925. The government privatized the state monopoly of match sale, eliminated the State monopoly on life insurances, sold most of the State-owned telephone networks and services to private firms, reprivatized the largest metal machinery producer, and awarded concessions to private firms to build and operate motorways. These interventions represent one of the earliest and most decisive privatization episodes in the Western world. While ideological considerations may have had a certain influence, privatization was used mainly as a political tool to build confidence among industrialists and to increase support for the government and the Partito Nazionale Fascista. Privatization also contributed to balancing the budget, which was the core objective of Fascist economic policy in its first phase."

Suggested Citation

  • Germà Bel, 2010. "From public to private: Fascist privatization in 1920s Italyç," Working Papers 10014, Economic History Society.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehs:wpaper:10014
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Josef C. Brada, 1996. "Privatization Is Transition--Or Is It?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 10(2), pages 67-86, Spring.
    2. Germà Bel, 2010. "Against the mainstream: Nazi privatization in 1930s Germany1," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 63(1), pages 34-55, February.
    3. Germà Bel, 2009. "The First Privatization Policy In A Democracy: Selling State-Owned Enterprises In 1948-1950 Puerto Rico," IREA Working Papers 200915, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jun 2009.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Privatization; Public Enterprise; Government.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • L32 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Public Enterprises; Public-Private Enterprises
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out

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