The Bank of Italy released Economic History Working Papers No. 54, “Napoleonic Administrative Reforms and Development in the Italian Mezzogiorno”, examining how changes in a country’s administrative hierarchy can affect city-level development, using the 1806 Napoleonic reform in the Kingdom of Naples as a historical experiment. The paper finds that cities designated as district capitals with supra-municipal administrative functions experienced a population growth premium over 1828–1911 and higher industrialization than non-capital cities, with the industrialization effect observed both before and after Italian unification. The results are attributed to channels linked to public goods provision and improved accessibility through transport networks.
Bank of Italy 2025-04-16
Bank of Italy publishes working paper linking Napoleonic administrative reforms to long-run urban growth in southern Italy
The Bank of Italy's Economic History Working Papers No. 54 analyzes the impact of the 1806 Napoleonic administrative reforms in the Kingdom of Naples on city-level development. The study finds that cities designated as district capitals experienced greater population growth and industrialization from 1828 to 1911 compared to non-capital cities, due to enhanced public goods provision and improved transport networks.