Decentramento e istituzioni locali dall’Italia liberale al fascismo. Un bilancio di studi e qualche ipotesi di lavoro

Since the unification of Italy, local institutions have played a key role in promoting processes of modernization at local level, frequently beyond the scope allowed by law. Local institutions were particularly active in the Fascist period, when the centre-periphery relationship was characterised by reciprocity and negotiation. The strength of a local administration depended to a great extent on the calibre of people it employed, from administrative staff right up to the Podestà.