While we are still debating the economic future of Italy in this TL, I do not want to progress in a way that turns off viewers, so this next part is a bit shorter, and still leaves discussion open to where we previously are. Until we establish a firmer understanding of where the economic future of Italy is headed and how it is going to get there, heres something to chew on.
Seconda Parte
July 16th, di Castagna continues his southern reform by moving goat farmers in Basilicata and Apulia and their herds up north into the more luscious and grassy northern Italian lands. This serves two purposes. First, di Castagna describes goats as an ecological nightmare to dry environments like south Italy. This is not something he wants, especially if is re-invigoration project in Basilicata is to work. Second, the vast lands that the goats used for feeding will be divided up and given to small bordering farms for them to become large and more bountiful. The small farms in the Italian south were problematic because they were just too small and didn’t have enough yields. With bigger plots of land, the agricultural output would be more uniform.
August 8th, di Castagna develops the tax deductible green system. The plan entails that any Italian company that funds the greenery and irrigation plan in the south will have the amount they contributed on the greenery deducted from taxes. The plan is especially liked by Northern businesses, as di Castagna had hoped.
August 12th, in what is supposed to be a di Castagna lead support rally in Florence, furious local business owners and civilians drill him on why he has done so much for the south and barely paid attention to the north. di Castagna fires back angrily with a description of Italy as a well dressed man, with a top hat and an expensive suit on, only this man’s expensive suit ends at his waist. His pants are tattered and the threads are loose and coming apart. He describes the top part of the man as northern Italy, rich and well clothed. The waist down is obviously the south of Italy, poor and falling apart. He tells the crowd that only when this man is fully well clothed, can the country truly move on, together. The speech moves thousands of people and people who just minutes ago where enraged where now chanting “Clothe Italy!” and other support ridden words. The speech is loved by the press and is spread to every newspaper in Italy the next day, along with countless caricatures of the di Castagnian description of Italy.
August 16th, after 4 days of hearing and reading about di Castagnas new new speech, effects are made clear. One clear effect was encouragement from the south and the profound effect it had on the southern army. Initially, southern Italians who were originally from the kingdom of the two Sicilies where angry towards the north, feeling like Italian unification was not unification at all, but more the north of the country having the south as its colony. With di Castagna and the motivation he gave about rebuilding the south, they felt as equals. This was a move di Castagna was trying to make since he assumed office. The effect on the military in the south was a bolster to its confidence. Originally, southern units did not want to work with their northern counterparts; however, seeing themselves more as equals now, this barrier was coming down, a large plus for the army.
September 17th, even though the newly enacted tax deductible green system has begun with sweeping success, the Prime minister is not having a good week. The Italian Parliament has again given di Castagna an earful on spending. They say Italy is not in a great economic state and cannot afford such radical reform. They are also angry at di Castagna’s Prussian economic investment idea not falling through (Prussia only gave minimal amounts of money to Italy, just enough to show a token of good faith. The government said Prussia was having its own economic needs that needed to be put on first priority). di Castagna counters with another economic plan, though he would not specify. The Parliament was in an uproar to the counter saying this would be the second leniency given to the Prime Minister. Non the less, feeling that the man was an unusually competent leader, they give him 2 months to make good on his promise. di Castagna leaves the building determined to do just that.
[Notes]
-Most of the economic plans in this part are not solely dependent on government money, but are by choice. Ex. the tax deductible green system is completely based on private funds. Hence, they are not as much stress on the economy of Italy as one would think.
-Ideas are completely original, with many based on proposals from the thread "Ideas on an Italy TL", set up by myself. If you see something you may have helped on, please, again, do not be afraid to acknowledge it!
-Separated armies was a real OTL problem. This problem being fixed is reason for an already stronger force.
comments, ideas, props, critiques, and suggestions on how to continue always loved
