The Political Economy of Shopkeeping in Milan, 1886}}}1922 [Paperback]

This book analyses the business, geography and politics of shopkeeping in Milan between 1886 and 1922.This book analyses the business, geography and politics of shopkeeping in Milan between 1886 and 1922. The author addresses questions relating to petite bourgeois identity, and explains why shopkeepers sided with the political right. This is the first full-scale study of any aspect of the lives of the petite bourgeoisie in the pre-Fascist period.This book analyses the business, geography and politics of shopkeeping in Milan between 1886 and 1922. The author addresses questions relating to petite bourgeois identity, and explains why shopkeepers sided with the political right. This is the first full-scale study of any aspect of the lives of the petite bourgeoisie in the pre-Fascist period.This book analyzes the business, geography and politics of shopkeeping in Milan between 1886 and 1922. The author studies the trades, techniques, tax structure and topography of the Milanese retail sector, addresses questions relating to petit bourgeois identity, and explains why shopkeepers were to be found on the political right in the years that led up to the Fascist takeover. This is the first full-scale study of any aspect of the experience of the Italian petite bourgeoisie in the pre-Fascist period.Introduction: Shopkeeping as a historical problem; 1. The business of shopkeeping in Milan 18591915; 2. The context of shopkeeping: trades and techniques; 3. The economic geography of shopkeeping: the role of the dazio consumo; 4. The esercenti enter the political arena; 5. Constructing the esercenti movement 18861890; 6. The esercenti and the Depression 18901897; 7. Shopkeepers, cooperatives and the politics of privilege; 8. Milan and the national small business movement 18861898; 9. The allargamento debate 18951897; 10. The end of century crisis and the enlargement of the dazio belt; 11. Shopkeeping in the new century; 12. Labour relations and class politics; 13. The esercentlӜ