Bruno Mascitelli Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia

Bruno Mascitelli's book gives a most useful account, ranging from an capsule narrative of the post-war economic 'miracle' to a description of the famous Italian 'industrial districts', those teeming beehives of like-minded firms where, in the words of Alfred Marshall 'the secrets of trade float in the air'. The role of public enterprises in the Sixties and privatizations in the Nineties is skillfully woven into Italy's quest of its rightful place in the European 'concert of nations'. 

After Italy's participation among the founding members of the Monetary Union in 1999 - no mean feat - a difficult transition has begun. Italy had to give up inflation and devaluation as the illusory means to buy social peace and restore lost competitiveness. Unfortunately, the Great recession of 2007-2010 has further complicated the transition process. This book does not, of course, pretend to foretell the future. But in laying bare the essential outlines of Italy's complex economic and political landscape it offers the reader a much-needed primer into a country which is capable of baffling, exasperating and fascinating foreigners and Italians alike. 

Fabrizio Galimberti Economist and journalist with Italy's financial daily, Il Sole 24 Ore.

Contents 

An Introduction to the Italian Economy

The Italian Economy after 1945 until the 1990s

The Italian Economy – Post Maastricht to the present day

Fiscal and Monetary Policies and the Global Financial Crisis: Case Study – How Wealthy are Italians?

The Main Ingredients of the Italian Economy - Case Study: The Alessi  Concept

The Rise and Fall of the State Industries: Case Study – Alitalia  and its Privatisation

Italy’s Banking System and Stock Market: Case Study: The Role of Mediobanca  and Enrico Cuccia  in the Italian Economy

Public Services, Welfare and Immigrants: Case Study: Immigrant Entrepreneurship

The Black Economy, Criminality and Corruption: Case study – the Parmalat  Case

Employment, Women, Labor and Employers: Case Study – Emma Marcegaglia

Large Firms and Italian Corporate Governance: Case Study – FIAT

Italian Trade into the New Millennium: Case Study China - Opportunity or Threat?

Conclusion – Where to From Here?

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
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The Italian Economy since 1945: student edition 

 Bruno Mascitelli                                                                    Published July 2010

 ISBN: 978-1-920889-47-0 (paperback)

 Includes bibliographical references and index

 Italy – Economic conditions – 1945

330.945

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