Page 166 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 166
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
tain communities during the 17th century crisis has been taken as an index
of resilience in adverse economic situations. For two sample years, the fis-
cal performance of the Apennine areas was compared with those of the hill
and coastal plain areas of Abruzzo Citra. The conclusions highlight anoth-
er factor: social capital as strength of the Abruzzo mountain area. Sharing
rules, information, penalties and values defines the quality of the networks
and social relations that are decisive in promoting adaptation to changes in
the economic system.
2 34 6 Kingdom of Naples Provinces
10 1 Terra di Lavoro
1 7 2 Abruzzo Ultra
3 Abruzzo Citra
59 8 4 Contrado di Molise
5 Principato Citra
11 6 Capitanata
12 7 Terra di Barri
8 Terra d'Otranto
9 Basilicata
10 Principato Ultra
11 Calabria Citra
12 Calabria Ultra
0 250 500 km
Map author: Nataša Kolega
Source: Natural Earth
Map 7.3: Kingdom of Naples provinces
1. Abruzzo Mountain’s economic system
The physiognomy of the Abruzzo Mountain’s economic system, here as in
the Alpine areas, takes its shape from agriculture and its environmental
constraints such as the altitude, climate, morphology and topography of
the mainly calcareous soil. This leads to well-defined and lasting characte-
ristics: the fragmentation and dispersion of plots, predominant cereal crops
even at high altitudes and well beyond the limit of climatic compatibility,
low production levels and very low productivity (De Matteis 2000; Tino,
1989). Only in the basins between the mountains and at lower altitudes was
it possible to practice polyculture with valuable vines, almonds, mulberry,
walnut, apple and other fruit trees, together with horticultural crops.
164
tain communities during the 17th century crisis has been taken as an index
of resilience in adverse economic situations. For two sample years, the fis-
cal performance of the Apennine areas was compared with those of the hill
and coastal plain areas of Abruzzo Citra. The conclusions highlight anoth-
er factor: social capital as strength of the Abruzzo mountain area. Sharing
rules, information, penalties and values defines the quality of the networks
and social relations that are decisive in promoting adaptation to changes in
the economic system.
2 34 6 Kingdom of Naples Provinces
10 1 Terra di Lavoro
1 7 2 Abruzzo Ultra
3 Abruzzo Citra
59 8 4 Contrado di Molise
5 Principato Citra
11 6 Capitanata
12 7 Terra di Barri
8 Terra d'Otranto
9 Basilicata
10 Principato Ultra
11 Calabria Citra
12 Calabria Ultra
0 250 500 km
Map author: Nataša Kolega
Source: Natural Earth
Map 7.3: Kingdom of Naples provinces
1. Abruzzo Mountain’s economic system
The physiognomy of the Abruzzo Mountain’s economic system, here as in
the Alpine areas, takes its shape from agriculture and its environmental
constraints such as the altitude, climate, morphology and topography of
the mainly calcareous soil. This leads to well-defined and lasting characte-
ristics: the fragmentation and dispersion of plots, predominant cereal crops
even at high altitudes and well beyond the limit of climatic compatibility,
low production levels and very low productivity (De Matteis 2000; Tino,
1989). Only in the basins between the mountains and at lower altitudes was
it possible to practice polyculture with valuable vines, almonds, mulberry,
walnut, apple and other fruit trees, together with horticultural crops.
164
