Work

Sovereignty, civic capital, and local development. A historical perspective in economic geography

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We combine history with economic geography to shed light on the long-run determinants of territorial development differentials in Italy. Specifically, we study the effects of historical sovereignty change on current local economic development. We measure historical sovereignty change as the yearly number of changes of sovereignty that occurred in the period 1000–1861—that is, until the unification of Italy—and assess its effects on labor productivity in 2018. We estimate a negative effect of historical sovereignty change on current local economic development, and identify—both theoretically and empirically—civic capital as a plausible underlying mechanism.

Source: Journal of Economic Geography

DOI: 10.1093/jeg/lbag028

Authors: Mattia Balestra, Giulio Cainelli, Roberto Ganau, Nadiia Matsiuk, Mario Pasquato, Roberto Pierdicca

Institutions: Marche Polytechnic University, University of Padua, London School of Economics and Political Science, National Institute for Astrophysics

Language: English

Topic: Culture, Economy, and Development Studies

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,638