SUCCESSO E DECLINO DELLA SCUOLA GENOVESIANA IN SICILIA SUL FINIRE DEL XVIII E IL PRINCIPIO DEL XIX SECOLO

Abstract

In the Sicily of late 18th century, during the harshest contraposition between viceroyal government and parliamentary baronage, the Genovesian school gains a great success on the island among scholars and academicians as well as ruling class. In this particular moment of Sicilian history, the theme of reforms is at the top of the political agenda and the thought of Genovesi and his scholars spurs projects to reform the old institutions of the Kingdom, to modernize agriculture, raise productivity and introduce a fairer taxation. The reputation of the Neapolitan school is so well-known that all the parties are inspired by Its economic and political proposals. Furthermore, the Crown and the baronage oppose each other in such a way as to interpret and adapt the Genovesian reformism. This scenario changes quickly in the last decade of 18th century when, through the academic chair of Paolo Balsamo (1764-1816), Smithianism emerges in Sicily and within few years causes the decline of Neapolitan civil economy which is replaced by rising British liberalism. This article describes the rapid change of Sicilian economic culture and seeks the reasons of this turn of paradigm highlighting the interlacem ent of culture, social interests and international political emergencies which determined it.