GINI Country Report: Growing Inequalities and their Impacts in Italy

There are two main dimensions of inequality in Italy. On one side, there is geography. The sharp division between a more developed North and a backwards South has been a central feature of the country since the birth of the Italian national state, and is still, a central topic of Italian politics and public discussion. The weakness of the state is the second major reason to explain the relatively high level of inequality observed in contemporary Italy. On one side, the inefficiency of the state directly condemns to failure any redistributive policy aimed at effectively reducing income inequality and other kinds of inequality. On the other side, the weakness of the state indirectly increases social inequality, as it is complemented by individualistic, market-based mobilization and by the strength of particular social groups. Among the latter, the most important is surely the family, but also trade unions, employers’ association and the professions have played a strong role in Italian politics.