Page 182 - 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. 182
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
Graph 7.5: Local communities in arrears with the tax authorities (amounts in percentage).
Abruzzo Citra, 1666
ry, tripling its initial value (Rossi 2007, 40–1). Wool as raw material was in
great demand from European garment manufacturers after the technologi-
cal transformation that was able to produce new fabrics. The resulting sud-
den increase in production in the proto-industrial direction thus explains
the expansion of the wool market with increased production and prices.
Taking advantage of the gradual disappearance of the expensive town-pro-
duced Italian shoes, wool factories sprang up in rural centres almost every-
where in the peninsula, including those areas of Abruzzo that we have al-
ready mentioned. Also, as we have already seen, the wool manufacturers
strengthened their position, experimenting with the division of labour and
organisation.
These production sites presented, to a mid-17th century visitor crossing
the area on behalf of the government, a more comfortable standard of liv-
ing than the average for other centres. Furthermore, from the fiscal point
of view, the area appears to have been able to handle a large part of its tax
debts (Bulgarelli Lukacs 1993, 185).
5. Integrated peasant economy and social capital
After these brief remarks on the Apennine Mountains’ ability to balance its
economy, it may be useful to recall some findings following on from what
Panjek said about the integrated peasant economy model.
180
Graph 7.5: Local communities in arrears with the tax authorities (amounts in percentage).
Abruzzo Citra, 1666
ry, tripling its initial value (Rossi 2007, 40–1). Wool as raw material was in
great demand from European garment manufacturers after the technologi-
cal transformation that was able to produce new fabrics. The resulting sud-
den increase in production in the proto-industrial direction thus explains
the expansion of the wool market with increased production and prices.
Taking advantage of the gradual disappearance of the expensive town-pro-
duced Italian shoes, wool factories sprang up in rural centres almost every-
where in the peninsula, including those areas of Abruzzo that we have al-
ready mentioned. Also, as we have already seen, the wool manufacturers
strengthened their position, experimenting with the division of labour and
organisation.
These production sites presented, to a mid-17th century visitor crossing
the area on behalf of the government, a more comfortable standard of liv-
ing than the average for other centres. Furthermore, from the fiscal point
of view, the area appears to have been able to handle a large part of its tax
debts (Bulgarelli Lukacs 1993, 185).
5. Integrated peasant economy and social capital
After these brief remarks on the Apennine Mountains’ ability to balance its
economy, it may be useful to recall some findings following on from what
Panjek said about the integrated peasant economy model.
180
