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Napoleonic administrative reforms and development in the Italian Mezzogiorno

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Listed:
  • Cainelli, Giulio
  • Ciccarelli, Carlo
  • Ganau, Roberto

Abstract

We study how changes in a country’s administrative hierarchy 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 gained an urban development premium compared with non-capital cities. We find that district capitals recorded a population growth premium throughout the nineteenth century (1828–1911) and experienced higher industrialization both before and after the Italian unification (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, 2025. "Napoleonic administrative reforms and development in the Italian Mezzogiorno," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 130883, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:130883
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    JEL classification:

    • N0 - Economic History - - General
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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