Mezzogiorno -- Secondary economic activity
Slides in this set (3)
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- Did not experience the Industrial and Agricultural revolutions.
- Industry bypassed Mezzogiorno because of :
- Workforce poor and uneducated.
- Poor local markets and upland terrain.
- Region's peripheral location makes it difficult to attract MNCs.
- Region lacks natural resouces - water supply limited (porous bedrock).
- Limited range of agricultural products.
- Before 1950s, rail brought cheap mass-produced goods from north
- Long distance from EU markets.
- Little lock capital in area and is far from government sphere of influence.
- Brain drain. - ageing population.
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- Positive Effects:
- Government introduced grants, subsidies and tax relief.
- New law; 40% of new state companies set up in Mezzogiorno.
- Industrial estates, tax exemptions and transport subsidies were provided for new companies; fund for training employees.
- New international airport at Calabria.
- Autostrada del Sole. -- efficient and fast transport.
- Heavy industries make up 60% of new investment.
- Four growth poles; Bari-Brindisi-Taranto was a industrial triangle.
- EU structural funds - 13 mil euro.
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- Negative Effects:
- Very little spin-off employment created.
- Oil refineries: capital intensive and created few jobs.
- Environment not a priority - - polluted the region's waters.
- 2 million jobs lost in agriculture due to mechanisation. 57% of workforce worked in agriculture up to 1950s -- 10% today.
- Overreliance on state investment in Mezzogiorno rather than local activities.
- Unemployment rates in region high - 20%.
- Spread of industries is not even ~ Naples attracted more
- 23% of families still live in poverty.
- Infant mortality rate is 4 times that of northern Italy.
- Housing is substandard.
- 24% of children drop out after primary school.
- Foreign companies too nervous about influence of Mafia.