4. ‘Made in Italy’

Abstract

Despite lacking raw materials and still being heavily dependent on agriculture in the early 20th century, Italy managed to become the fifth most industrialized economy in the world by the 1980s. The economic miracle of the 1960s, in particular, was accompanied by social phenomena typically associated with the process of modernization, including urbanization, the predominance of the nuclear family, mass consumerism, and mass transport based on private car ownership. Italian design became known the world over, combining creativity with craftsmanship. ‘Made in Italy’ describes early industrialization, the ‘golden age’ of the Italian economy, the slowdown and decline of the 1990s and early twenty-first century, and the recent economic fight back.