This essay offers some thoughts prompted by reading “Il calabrone Italia. Ricerche e ragionamenti sulla peculiarità economica italiana” that brings together some of the most significant articles by Giacomo Becattini on the Italian economy and industrial districts. A new unpublished chapter...

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...