The Social Consequences of the Crisis

A factor to be taken into consideration in evaluating the social consequences of the financial crisis and subsequent recession is the long-period trend to be seen towards increasing social inequality. In the case of Italy the data reveal symptoms of the social gap appearing even before the recent crisis, but growing inequality is by no means limited to Italy. Indeed, the trends towards inequality have led sociologists to abandon the image of confluence at the centre, putting in its place that of the social gap. The crisis of deregulation brings back to the fore the possibility of considering organic measures to relaunch the economy, and new agreements to promote social cohesion.