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Italian Famines: An overview (ca. 1250-1810)

Author

Listed:
  • Guido Alfani
  • Luca Mocarelli
  • Donatella Strangio

Abstract

This article provides a general chronology of Italian famines, incorporating earlier chronologies as well as recent research on preindustrial mortality crises and covering the whole period from circa 1250 to 1810. Hypotheses about the occurrence of famines are tested using the largest-existing database of time series of burials, covering northern Italy and part of central Italy, as well as a database of time series of wheat prices covering the whole of the Peninsula. The role played by food provisioning institutions is briefly detailed and a summary discussion of the causative factors of famines is provided. We argue that the majority of the most severe medieval and early modern famines happen when a situation of high demographic pressure on the available resources couples with periods of meteorological instability of the kind unfavorable to wheat crops, and the crisis is so widespread that institutions are unable to provide effective remedies.

Suggested Citation

  • Guido Alfani & Luca Mocarelli & Donatella Strangio, 2015. "Italian Famines: An overview (ca. 1250-1810)," Working Papers 084, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.
    • Handle: RePEc:don:donwpa:084
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    File URL: ftp://ftp.dondena.unibocconi.it/WorkingPapers/Dondena_WP084.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Donatella Strangio, 1998. "Di fronte alla carestia in età preindustriale," Rivista di storia economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 2, pages 161-192.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paolo Malanima, 2018. "Italy in the Renaissance: a leading economy in the European context, 1350–1550," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 71(1), pages 3-30, February.

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    1. Guido Alfani, 2015. "Famines in late Medieval and Early Modern Italy: A test for an advanced economy," Working Papers 082, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.

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