Emigration and Social Changes in the Mezzogiorno

The article analyses the socio-economic changes that have taken place in the Italian Mezzogiorno with particular reference to international as well as national migrations. In accordance with Manlio Rossi-Doria’s view, emigration is here considered one of the most active factors of social change. The article puts forward some hypotheses concerning Rossi-Doria’s positive attitude towards emigration In fact, who had observed the improvement in the living conditions of the southern peasant during the 1920s thanks to the savings and remittances of the migrants. Even greater are the social changes brought about by a second large-scale migratory wave which took place after the World War II - which shook up the traditional oppressive social structure and brought an end to the peasants’ dire poverty. Of course the effects of emigration were coupled with the effects of other factors such as state intervention in the South.