Tuna among the seats. Rates, tariffs and foreign competition in the Chamber of Deputies debate at the end of the nineteenth century

Abstract

During the last decades of the 19th century, Italy underwent a deep process of change. After the Historical Left took power, it was necessary to address the challenges of an international economy that was becoming more and more efficient and fierce. The sudden transformation of this young Kingdom from an agrarian country to an industrial power, took place through the adoption of strong protectionist policies (1878 and 1887), new diplomatic and military alliances, growing colonial ambitions, harsh demonstrations of popular discontent and an increase of migration flows. Reports of parliamentary debates are certainly an interesting vantage point to keep a close eye on the ongoing transformations. If historiography has traditionally made reference to this source on many occasions, the greatest advantages are clearly for the strands of political and diplomatic history. Economic history has also delved into the “subjects” of parliamentary confrontation. By building up a clear picture of the personal profiles and theoretical and cultural horizons, it explored the confrontation between liberalism and neomercantilism, and it followed the events linked to the causes and effects of the duties applied on different economic sectors. In the agricultural and commercial sectors, special
attention was paid, obviously, to staple goods, such as wheat and wine. On the other hand, some minor sectors, such as fishing and canned tuna industries, had an enormous impact within this time frame, both in the public law, as well as in the parliamentary debates and, by following this path, it is also possible to trace back many interests, such as the demands for protection of a national “industry”, delocalisation processes, foreign competition, pricing policies and diplomatic relations.