Land Inequality in Interwar Italy: A Provincial Analysis

Abstract

This study reconstructs the distribution of land inequality in Italy in the 1930s using data from the Agricultural Census (1930) and the Catasto Agrario 1929, a statistical source compiled at the provincial level. Five indicators of land inequality were derived and initially assessed using the univariate analysis. A multivariate approach was adopted to construct a composite index that captures the multidimensional nature of land concentration. Based on this index, provinces were grouped into homogeneous clusters reflecting different degrees of land ownership concentration. The empirical results show a significant correlation between land inequality and both territorial configurations and institutional land management regimes. This classification provides a framework for understanding regional disparities in agrarian structures in Italy during the interwar period.