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Napoleonic Administrative Reforms and Development. Lessons from the Italian Mezzogiorno

Author

Listed:
  • Cainelli, Giulio

    (University of Padua)

  • Ciccarelli, Carlo

    (University of Rome "Tor Vergata" and CAGE)

  • Ganau, Roberto

    (University of Padua and LSE)

Abstract

We study how changes in the administrative hierarchy of a country affect development at the city level. We exploit the 1806 Napoleonic administrative reform implemented in the Kingdom of Naples as a historical experiment to assess whether district capitals endowed with supra-municipal administrative functions by law gained an urban development premium compared with non-capital cities. We assemble an original dataset combining historical data from 1648 to 1911, and rely on difference-in-differences and instrumental variable estimation strategies. We find that district capitals recorded a time-persistent population growth premium in the period 1828–1911, and experienced higher industrialization both before and after the Italian unification occurred in 1861, compared with non-capital cities. We explain our results through mechanisms related to public goods provision and transport network accessibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Cainelli, Giulio & Ciccarelli, Carlo & Ganau, Roberto, 2023. "Napoleonic Administrative Reforms and Development. Lessons from the Italian Mezzogiorno," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 673, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cge:wacage:673
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    File URL: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/research/centres/cage/manage/publications/wp673.2023.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Napoleonic reforms; territorial administrative hierarchy; long-run development JEL Classification: H11; N13; O11; R11;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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