Figure 1.--This photo was taken in Samo, a little village in Calabria, the far south-western Italian region. It was taken on Palm Sunday 1938 (April 10th, 1938). In that feast the Catholic Mass begins with the blessing of tree branches. In Italy we bless olives trees branches. After the Mass the people bring home a blessed branch. In the photo we can see two women and a girl. The girl is wearing a simple dress and goes barefoot. We can assume that she also attended the Mass barefoot and probably that she didn't own any footwear.

Southern Italy is referred to as the the Mezzogiorno in Italy. It is not as familar to many as the north where more tourists visit. The cultural influences in southern Italy are somewhat different than in the north. The Greek influence is strongest in the south and there are several important Greek ruins. Naples was founded as a Greek colony. There are also northern African influences. The south is more agricultural than northern and even central Italy and until after World War II, was almost feudal. Southern Italy has historically lagged behind the northern in literacy, income, economic development, and other indicators. The geography of the south gives the Italian peninsula its well-known boot image. Southern Italy is commonly seen as regions that correspond to the geopolitical extent of the historical Kingdom of Naples (under different names)nthe Two Sicilies, including Abruzzo, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, and Sicily. What oyther countries call provinces, the Italians call regions. (Provinces are second level adminstrative units. Each Italian region is divided into provinces.) Naples and the south have historically been associated with Sicily and for many years organized into the Kingdom of the Two Siclies. The best known and most populous region of southern Italy is Campania. The modern region has a population of around 6 million people. Thus it is the second-most-populous region of Italy and the most densely populated region in the country. It is located around Naples along southwesern coast of Italian Peninsula. The Tyrrhenian Sea off shoot of the Mediterrannean is located to the west.

The Southern Problem: The North-South Divide

For centuries, southern Italy has been the poorest least developed area pr of Italy. This difference has persisted basically for a millennium. Economic conditions have improved substantively after World War II with the Italian Economic Miracle, but the economic and cultural disparity with the north persists and shows no sign of disappearing. There has been a historical legacy marked by extended periods foreign rule, including Byzantine, Norman, and most notably Spanish. (Sicily for a time was controlled by the Arabs.) Spain was the major country controlling southern Italy was one of the most backward country which continued feudal policies into the modern era. This is one of the major reasons that Latin America has lagged so far behind British influenced North America. Geography is an important factor. The Po River valley is he largest area of arable land. There is nothing like it in the more mountainous south. This was hugely important because agriculture until the 20 century dominated economic life. Not only does southeastern Italy lack broad flat areas of arable land, the south also lacks the needed water resources from which the north benefits. In modern times the water resources of the north also provide hydroelectric power. The south also faces volcanic activity and earthquakes. These are geographic constraints on the southern economy. There are a range of economic factors. Thea agricultural productivity of the north resulted in both the populations and capital formation needed for industrialization (19th century). As a result, virtually all of Italian industry is located in the north. Here ties to he broader European industrial development north of the Alps was important. Thea south because it failed to industrialize face serious unemployment problems. This led to emigration, both domestic and foreign. Many southerners migrated to northern Italy seeking decent paying jobs. Most of the large numbers of Italians emigrating to the United States came from southern Italy and Sicily. This constituted a huge brain drain. Industrialization also meant the development of much more extension basic infrastructure such as roads, bridges, a rail system, and electrification. And of course the better infrastructure attracted more new industrial projects. There were also a range of cultural issue, many related to centuries of Spanish rule. Education was a major issue. When the north funded public schools, this did no begin in the south unification (1860). This is part of the reason why illiteracy was so high in the south. There continues to be much lower academic achievement levelsin the north than the south. Religion continued to be much more much more important in the south and he north. This manta that a very conservative clergy opposed many aspects of a modern secular state. As feudal organization persisted longer in the south than the north. One impact was less trust in government authority. A large portion of the southern economy operates in the informal sector, which limits tax revenue and hinders economic growth. A substantial part of the southern economy exists in the informal sector. This affects collection of tax revenue and impacts economic growth. Corruption is also more of a problem in the south. There were a range of badly designed government policies. Italy was united by a northern monarchy and economic policies favored the north. This left the south struggling. Tourism is a major industry in Italy, but tourists primarily attracted by northern sites.

Individual Regions

Abruzzo

Apulia

Basilicata

Calabria

Calabria is southern-most Italian mainland region, best described as the 'toe' of the Italian boot-shaped peninsula. Calabria is a peninsula of its own, jutting out to the south west toward Sicily to which it is linked geologically. Calabria physically separates the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. Most of the region is mountainous or hilly terrine not supportive of intensive agriculture and creating cooler temperatures from the warmer coasts. . There are lowlands lowlands in the Crati River valley near Sibari, the Marchesato (territory) near Crotone (Crotona) of Sant'Eufemia, and of Gioia Tauro. In the north, Calabria is linked to Apennine Range by the Mount Pollino massif (2,248 meters). From there the west coast range continues south. it is separated by the Crati River from the important La Sula massif (1,928 m). An isthmus between the gulfs of Sant'Eufemia (west) and Quesadilla (east) separate the northern and southern sections of the region. The uplands continue as the Apennines Calaboose and culminate in the extreme southern tip as the Promontory massif at Mont alto (1,956 m). Calabria was the location of major Greek colonization, including Crotona, Sybarites, and Rhenium (Reggie DI Calabria). The Greek period was the golden age of Calabria. Colonization began (8th century BC). Rome eventually conquered the area, first founding a colony at Brundisium (Brindisi) (246 BC) and captured Tarentum (Taranto) (209 BC). It became the Roman province of Ager Bruttius. The province declined into a remote provincial outpost of Rome with limited importance. The Greek geographer Strabo reported that there were 13 well-to-do cities (1st century BC), but over time only the ports of Tarentum and Brundisium thrived. The wool trade was of some importance. Pasturing sheep was possible in hilly terrain where agriculture was difficult. The Byzantines controlled it for five centuries as the Duchy of Calabria. Under Byzantine rule, Calabria regained its Hellenic character. Monasticism and hermitages appeared and many churches were built. The most spectacular was Cattolica di Stilo. It is in Calavria that Greco-Calabrian Basilian monks dedicated themselves to the transcription of classical and religious texts, much like the Irish monasteries, saving countless ancient works. It was the Byzantines who wrestled the secret of silk from China. Calabria became a center of silk production. Catanzaro became the main silk production center in Europe during the medieval era. The Norman conquest of Calabria began the gradual Latinization of the region. Along with the rest of Southern Italy, Calabria became part of the Spanish controlled Kingdom of Naples (under various names). As with Spain itself, the region declined into a European backwater. Calabria is where Montgomery's British Eighth Army landed largely unopposed as part of the Allied invasion of Italy (September 1943). The Allies hoped that the Germans would rush forward leaving Naples undefended, but Field Marshall Kesserling did not take the bait, even when the British seized the port of Taranto. The fight for the south and prize of Naples would be at Salerno. Today tourism is becoming importnt in Calabria, offering a warm climate, glorious coast, and impressive architectural treasures from its fascinating history.

Campania

The best known and most populous region of southern Italy is Campania. The modern region has a population of around 6 million people. Thus it is the second-most-populous region of Italy and the most densely populated region in the country. It is located around Naples along southwesern coast of Italian Peninsula. The Tyrrhenian Sea off shoot of the Mediterrannean is located to the west. The Flegrean Islands and Capri are administratively part of the region.

Molise

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Created: 8:05 PM 8/5/2009
Last updated: 10:13 AM 12/11/2024