The Italian economic miracle or Italian economic boom (Italian: il miracolo economico italiano or il boom economico italiano) is the term used by historians, economists, and the mass media[1] to designate the prolonged period of strong economic growth in Italy after World War II to the late 1960s, and in particular the years from 1958 to 1963.[2] This phase of Italian history represented not only a cornerstone in the economic and social development of the country—which was transformed from a poor, mainly rural, nation into a global industrial power—but also a period of momentous change in Italian society and culture.[3] As summed up by one historian, by the end of the 1970s, "social security coverage had been made comprehensive and relatively generous. The material standard of living had vastly improved for the great majority of the population."[4]
- ^ Life, November 24, 1967 (p.48)
- ^ Nicholas Crafts, Gianni Toniolo (1996). Economic growth in Europe since 1945. Cambridge University Press. p. 441. ISBN 0-521-49627-6.
- ^ David Forgacs, Stephen Gundle (2013). Mass culture and Italian society from fascism to the Cold War. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-21948-0.
- ^ Italy, a difficult democracy: a survey of Italian politics by Frederic Spotts and Theodor Wieser