History of Economic and Social Development

Part 1 (20 hrs-3 cfu): Introduction to the history of economic and social development
Part 2 (20 hrs-3 cfu): Research experience at the Historical Archives of Banca Intesa San Paolo
Part 3 (20 hrs-3 cfu): Elaboration, presentation and discussion of research work

Since World War II, with the creation of the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, economic and social development has assumed the status of a common and shared global goal. In spite of its structural ambivalence, the idea of development has been translated into a series of organizations and policies that have helped shape the framework of North-South relations in recent decades. In this scenario, finance, i.e., the set of relationships, instruments and institutions that preside over the organization of savings and investments on a global scale and thus the transfer, through money, of capital and knowledge, has gained increasing importance. The course provides the tools to study the history of development from a long-term perspective, investigating the often problematic relationships between theory and practice, stated goals and actual outcomes, national ambitions and international dynamics, public institutions and private actors, economic growth and social cohesion, financial wealth and the real economy, resource exploitation and environmental protection.

The first part of the course is devoted to framing the issue of development in the broader perspective of the evolution of economic systems since pre-industrial times. The interrelated changes in notions of wealth, production systems, relations among factors of production, economic policy objectives, and forms of accumulation will be analyzed and discussed. In this way, an attempt will be made to investigate the historical roots of the notion of development, its election as an economic paradigm after World War II, its evolution into an instrument of emancipation and at the same time of influence within the framework of the Cold War, up to the elaboration of the concept of sustainable development in the horizon of increasing globalization, specifically of financial relations.
The second part will consist of work at the Intesa San Paolo Historical Archives on a fund of the Cassa di Risparmio delle Province Lombarde that constitutes a privileged observatory on development problems and policies. In fact, beginning in the 1960s, Cariplo, at the initiative of its president, Giordano Dell'Amore, launched numerous activities in support of developing countries, particularly Africa, which culminated in the establishment of Finafrica, a Center for Assistance to African Countries. Housed in Milan, in a building specially designed by architect Marco Zanuso, for more than 20 years the Center collaborated in training the ruling class of developing countries through education, technical support and research activities. Intended initially for countries in Africa, the collaboration expanded over the years to countries in Asia, particularly China, and, with the fall of the Soviet bloc, to the transitional regimes of Eastern Europe. Students will have the opportunity to work on the documentary and photographic holdings of the Finafrica fund, applying the methods of archival sorting and historiographical research on primary sources.
Part 3 will involve the development, presentation and classroom discussion of research work conducted individually or in small groups on issues specified from the themes introduced in Part 1 and the sources identified in Part 2.