Interest in Italy's development is warranted by the size of the country, the level of income it has achieved and the lessons its particular story may contain. The relevant literature is extensive and includes studies by social historians as well as by economic historians and economists. Most of the literature available is in Italian, although the work in English is growing. This compreheensive volume brings together in an easily accessible form the main articles, some of which are published here in English for the first time. The introduction aims to provide the non-Italian reader with a general overview of the discussion that forms the background to the essays collected. The volume contains chapters on the development process, agriculture, industrialization, technical progress, industrial policy, the macroeconomic framework and the issue of geographical and economic dualism.