Francesco Saverio Nitti
Encyclopedia
Francesco Saverio Vincenzo de Paola Nitti (19 July 1868 – 20 February 1953) was an Italian
economist
and political figure. A Radical
, he served as the 36th Prime Minister of Italy
between 1919 and 1920.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia
("Theories of Overpopulation"), Nitti (Population and the Social System, 1894) was a staunch critic of English economist Thomas Robert Malthus and his Principle of Population.
, Basilicata
, Francesco Nitti studied law
in Naples
and was subsequently active as journalist. He was correspondent for the Gazzetta piemontese ("Piedmont
ese Gazzette") and was one of the editors of the Corriere di Napoli ("Courier of Napels"). In 1891 he wrote the work Il socialismo cattolico ("The Catholic-socialism
"). In 1898, when only 30 years old, he became professor of finance
at the University of Naples.
Nitti was chosen in 1904 for the Radical Party
to serve in the Italian parliament
. From 1911 to 1914 he was minister of agriculture, industry and trade under prime minister Giovanni Giolitti
. In 1917 he became minister of finance under Orlando
; this latter post he held till 1919.
On 23 June 1919 Nitti became prime minister and interior minister. A year later he added to these roles the job of minister of the colonies. His cabinet had to deal with great social unrest and dissatisfaction over the results of the Treaty of Versailles
. Particularly troublesome was the agitation over Fiume led by Gabriele D'Annunzio
. Nitti had great difficulty keeping the administration functioning at all, thanks to the enmity between the extremely divergent political factions: the communists
, anarchists
and fascists
. After less than a year as head of government, he resigned, and was succeeded by the veteran Giolitti on 16 June 1920.
Still a member of the Italian parliament, Nitti offered resistance to the nascent power of fascism, and openly despised Benito Mussolini
. In 1924 he decided to emigrate, but after the Second World War he returned to Italy. He was elected to the Senate
, first for the National-Democrats, and later for the Socialist Party of Italy
(PSI). To Italy's NATO membership he remained staunchly opposed.
In Rome on 20 February 1953, Nitti died. Throughout his career he deplored any kind of dictatorship
, whether it was communist, conservative, or fascist.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
economist
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and political figure. A Radical
Radical Party (Italy, 1877)
The Radical Party was a radical political party in Italy.It was founded in 1877 by Agostino Bertani and Felice Cavallotti as a radical-liberal party of what was then considered the "far left", from the name of the parliamentary group the Radicals formed with Andrea Costa, the first Socialist...
, he served as the 36th Prime Minister of Italy
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
between 1919 and 1920.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
("Theories of Overpopulation"), Nitti (Population and the Social System, 1894) was a staunch critic of English economist Thomas Robert Malthus and his Principle of Population.
Life
Born at MelfiMelfi
Melfi is a town and comune in the Vulture area of the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.-Geography:On a hill at the foot of Mount Vulture, Melfi is the most important town in Basilicata's Vulture, both as a tourist resort and economic centre.-Early history:Inhabited...
, Basilicata
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
, Francesco Nitti studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and was subsequently active as journalist. He was correspondent for the Gazzetta piemontese ("Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese Gazzette") and was one of the editors of the Corriere di Napoli ("Courier of Napels"). In 1891 he wrote the work Il socialismo cattolico ("The Catholic-socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
"). In 1898, when only 30 years old, he became professor of finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
at the University of Naples.
Nitti was chosen in 1904 for the Radical Party
Italian Radicals
Italian Radicals is an Italian political party which describes itself as a liberale, liberista e libertario political movement .It was...
to serve in the Italian parliament
Parliament of Italy
The Parliament of Italy is the national parliament of Italy. It is a bicameral legislature with 945 elected members . The Chamber of Deputies, with 630 members is the lower house. The Senate of the Republic is the upper house and has 315 members .Since 2005, a party list electoral law is being...
. From 1911 to 1914 he was minister of agriculture, industry and trade under prime minister Giovanni Giolitti
Giovanni Giolitti
Giovanni Giolitti was an Italian statesman. He was the 19th, 25th, 29th, 32nd and 37th Prime Minister of Italy between 1892 and 1921. A left-wing liberal, Giolitti's periods in office were notable for the passage of a wide range of progressive social reforms which improved the living standards of...
. In 1917 he became minister of finance under Orlando
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando
Vittorio Emanuele Orlando was an Italian diplomat and political figure. He was born in Palermo, Sicily. His father, a landed gentleman, delayed venturing out to register his son's birth for fear of Giuseppe Garibaldi's 1,000 patriots who had just stormed into Sicily on the first leg of their march...
; this latter post he held till 1919.
On 23 June 1919 Nitti became prime minister and interior minister. A year later he added to these roles the job of minister of the colonies. His cabinet had to deal with great social unrest and dissatisfaction over the results of the Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June 1919, exactly five years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The other Central Powers on the German side of...
. Particularly troublesome was the agitation over Fiume led by Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Gabriele D'Annunzio or d'Annunzio was an Italian poet, journalist, novelist, and dramatist...
. Nitti had great difficulty keeping the administration functioning at all, thanks to the enmity between the extremely divergent political factions: the communists
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, anarchists
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
and fascists
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
. After less than a year as head of government, he resigned, and was succeeded by the veteran Giolitti on 16 June 1920.
Still a member of the Italian parliament, Nitti offered resistance to the nascent power of fascism, and openly despised Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. In 1924 he decided to emigrate, but after the Second World War he returned to Italy. He was elected to the Senate
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
, first for the National-Democrats, and later for the Socialist Party of Italy
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
(PSI). To Italy's NATO membership he remained staunchly opposed.
In Rome on 20 February 1953, Nitti died. Throughout his career he deplored any kind of dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
, whether it was communist, conservative, or fascist.
Works
- Il socialismo cattolico (1891)
- L'Italia all' alba del secolo XX (1901)
- Principi di scienza delle finanzie (1903)
- L'Europa senza pace (1921)
- La tragedia dell' Europa (1923)