jjares reviewed The First Italian War of Independence: The History and Legacy of the Revolutions that Started the Process of Italy?s Unification on + 3275 more book reviews
It is amazing that Italy ever got to be as united as it currently is because it has been, since the earliest times, the land upon which wars were constantly being fought. There were separate states and regions; they had differing languages/dialects and cultural habits. Napolean used the resources of Italy and the men of the country to help him win his various wars across the known world.
Then the Austrians ravaged the Italian regions. Through all of their difficulties, the Italians did not seem to consider the advantages of nationhood for themselves. The problem seemed to be that they wanted good government, but weren't really interested in self-government. The generations of abuse they endured didn't seem to move them to gather the reins of government into their own hands.
Another difficulty (that they still have) is a deep-seated distrust of their neighboring countrymen. The Italians of the north don't trust or like the southern Italians. Their dialects are indecipherable. Italians have less sympathy for their own countrymen than for people of another continent. I read books about current policies in Italy (Donna Leon, comes to mind) and there is great mistrust between northern and southern Italians.
The people of Italy were so fragmented that it took more than one war of independence to free them from the various other nations that controlled their lands. They had to fight the Hapsburg Austrians in the north and the Spanish Bourbons in the south. They also had to wait until a pope would be pro-independence to release the Papal States to the new nation.
Then the Austrians ravaged the Italian regions. Through all of their difficulties, the Italians did not seem to consider the advantages of nationhood for themselves. The problem seemed to be that they wanted good government, but weren't really interested in self-government. The generations of abuse they endured didn't seem to move them to gather the reins of government into their own hands.
Another difficulty (that they still have) is a deep-seated distrust of their neighboring countrymen. The Italians of the north don't trust or like the southern Italians. Their dialects are indecipherable. Italians have less sympathy for their own countrymen than for people of another continent. I read books about current policies in Italy (Donna Leon, comes to mind) and there is great mistrust between northern and southern Italians.
The people of Italy were so fragmented that it took more than one war of independence to free them from the various other nations that controlled their lands. They had to fight the Hapsburg Austrians in the north and the Spanish Bourbons in the south. They also had to wait until a pope would be pro-independence to release the Papal States to the new nation.
