Italy was a poor, backward country compared with its neighbors to the north and west in 1861. Most of its people were farmers relying on traditional techniques and ancient forms of organization to survive. Few would have believed that within a century, the country would become one of the largest industrial powerhouses, and its people among the wealthiest in the world. This book provides a brief, up-to-date account of the literature that chronicles Italy's remarkable growth and structural change, emphasizing new views on old issues.