Gabriele Cappelli
One size that didn’t fit all? Electoral franchise, fiscal capacity and the rise of mass schooling across Italy’s provinces, 1870–1911
University of Tübingen
italys regions experienced different rates human capital accumulation late nineteenth early twentieth centuries although southern regions disadvantaged unification country took place 1861 caught slow paceand remarkable regional divide education persisted interwar period previous hypotheses focused role played fiscal capacity paper sheds new light effect enfranchisement growth schooling presence large regional disparities local electoral franchise confirmed data however relationship voting rights intensity local direct taxation municipal fiscal capacity weak best furthermore impact factors analysed separately number econometric models fiscal capacity stands significant determinant education across italys provinces recent hypotheses results show different distribution political voice within italys municipalities determine persistence regional inequalities schooling long run italys national education system together remarkable preexistent regional disparities slowed development human capital rural southern regions immense costs terms future prospects economic growth human development