Brown Bag Seminar: Electricity and Industrial Geography in a Latecomer Country: Italy, 1901-1921

Speaker
 Andrea Xamo - University of Verona

Date
 Apr 7, 2026 - Time: 12:00 Aula Vaona

Italy, a latecomer to industrialisation, faced the hurdles of lacking coal in the age of steam. Conversely, when the technology for long-distance electricity transmission became available, it invested heavily in hydropower, considering it as the best substitute for costly imported coal. Drawing on New Economic Geography (NEG) and factor endowment theories, we analyse the location of industrial activity across Italian provinces in the census years 1901, 1911, and 1921. We evaluate the influence of the spread of electric power as a distinct factor alongside traditional determinants such as market potential, human capital, and energy intensity. We find that access to electricity significantly affected the location of industry, more than other, more traditional factors. This effect is particularly strong in the decade between 1901 and 1911, when the regional grid system was being developed.
 
Data pubblicazione
Mar 11, 2026

Department
Economics