Figure 1.--This photograph was taken in Riese, a village near Milan, in the early 1950s. It shows a boy driving oxen with a load of hay. An Italian reader writes, "This is something I never saw as a boy. I grew up 10-15 years later in Milan. I didn't have to attend livestock. In summer I sometimes went barefoot in our backyard, but I was never allowed to go barefoot in the street. I saw something similar when we went to my uncle's home. They lived in the country near Florence. My cousin had farm chores and often was barefoot. When with him I sometimes took my shoes or sandals off though my mother didn't approve."

Italy until after World War II, was the poorest of the major European countries. The poverty was especially severe in southern Italy which well into the 20th century was almost feudal with large agricultural estates. Given the poverty, especially in southern Italy, many Italian boys had to leave school at an early age and work. Italy was not as heavily industrialized as many countries to the north. Thus boys were often involved in low paying agricultural labor. This often involved work on large estates. In many other instances children worked on small family farms. Our informtion on this agricultural work is limited at this time. The poverty in Italy was the major reason that large numbers of Italians emmigrated to Amrica in the late-19th and early-20th century. We note Italian boys involved in agricultural work well into the 20th century, even after World war II. Italian boys were also employed in mines, mills, and factories, but again our information is quite limited.

Italian Poverty

Italy until after World War II, was the poorest of the major European countries. The poverty was especially severe in southern Italy which well into the 20th century was almost feudal with large agricultural estates. Given the poverty, especially in southern Italy, many Italian boys had to leave school at an early age and work. Italy was not as heavily industrialized as many countries to the north. The poverty in Italy was the major reason that large numbers of Italians emmigrated to Amrica in the late-19th and early-20th century.

Agricultural Labor

Italy was a basically agricultural country as late as World War II. There was some industrial development in the north, but the south was mostly agrarian. Italian boys as a result were commonly involved in low-paying agricultural labor. This often involved work on large estates in near feudal conditions. There was also share cropping, but it was not as commo. In many other instances children worked on small family farms. Our informtion on this agricultural work is limited at this time. We note Italian boys involved in agricultural work well into the 20th century, even after World War II.

Artisans

Until after World war Ii, artisans were an important sector of the Italian economy. Consumer gooids produced in factories were not uncommonly hand produced by Italian artisans. This was especially true in the south. Of course the industrial revolution radically transfored the economics of artisan work. Factory production significantly lowered the cost of consumer goods. This mean that artisan production was less profitable. Boys were commonly involved in artisan shops. They may have been broiught in as aprentices. This is a prtactice that dates back to the medieval period. Boys (but less commonly girls) also followed their fathers in the family trade. This essentially provided unpaid help, rather like children on farms. And of course it provide a way for the children to learn a trade.

Basket Boys/Piccioccus de Crobi

Most Italian cities because of poverty until after World war II had many street children. Some were called basket children. Some photographs show the street children of Cagliari, the bigger Sardinian town, in late 19th or early 20th century. In those times there were street children in many Italian towns. Perhaps the most famous were the Neapolitans, called "scugnizzi". In Cagliari they were called "piccioccus de crobi" (in Sardinian dialect "boys of basket") because these boys had always a basket. They went to the port or to the market and brought little merchandise for gain some money. However they were also little thieves.They wore old clothing and were barefoot. The first photo [Alinari photos] seems taken in late 19th century; the second one could be taken in early 20th century. <>br>

Factories

Home Workshops

Artisan work was important in Italy into the 20th century. Industry was mostly concentrated in the north. Fathers would involve the children in the workshops. A variety of crafts were involved including carpentry, leather work, metal working, and others. This often included the children in the family who might begin working at an early age. Thus they may have been taken out of school or not allowed to attend at all. These craftsmen were various successful. Some were abjectly poor. The fathers mkight have to seek work as a laborer to supplement the home workshop. The childen also may have had to work outside the home.

Mills

Mines

We do not have much information on Italian child labor in mines. An Italian reader has provided some information on the "carusi". Here we have some image showing boys working in Sicilian sulphur mines in late 19th century. These boys were called "carusi". In Sicilian dialect the word "caruso" (pl. "carusi") means boy. In 1876 an inquiry reports: "The carusi are boys 7-15 years old, that carry the sulphur from the tunnels. The boys work underground 8-10 hours everyday". The boys worked semi naked, sometime also naked. They were "rented" by the miners from the boys' parents. The miners gave to the parents some money and the carusi had to work in the mine for a fixed time, therefore they lived like slaves for the rental period.

Shepherds

Boys in Italy and many oter countries worked as shepherds. The children involved were usually or not always boys. Quite young boys could be involved. We think that many of the boys were woirked on landed estates rather than family farms. This occupation dates from time immemorial, peobably as soon as sheep were raised in Italy. I am not sure when this was, but certain predates the Roman Empire. Working as a shepherd may in fact be the ealies typoe of work associated with boys. We have little information about the boys working as shepherds in modern times. We note a well known painting of a 19th century shephered boy by American artist, Washington Allston (1799-1843). A famous Italian movie, "Padre Padrone" (1977) deals with the subject. We are not sure when the Italian Government began limiting the use of children and insisting they attend school. We suspect it may have been during the Fascist era, but we think Italian children continued to work as shepherds until after World War II.

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Created: 1:24 AM 3/4/2005
Last updated: 8:53 PM 8/16/2009