An agrarian contract for a "neighborhood" economy. Creation of accola in the Valtellina communities in the Middle Ages [Un contratto agrario per un'economia della «vicinanza ». Le investiture ad accola dei comuni valtellinesi nel basso medioevo]

Nature of commons in Middle Ages is extremely variegated: they include tolls, woods, collective pastures, and also small vineyards and meadows, houses and cottages, mills and sawmills. In order to manage small lands and buildings, communities of Valtellina (an alpine valley of Lombardy) had been using since their origins a specific form of emphyteusis: the «accola». The word signifies inhabitant and neighbour (i. e. common man). The lease assured to tenants perpetual possession, low and unchangeable rents, the right to improve land. When peasant enclosed a public land unlawfully, the accola legalized occupation of commons: so the peasant recognized community property and the community legitimated peasant’s toil and encouraged people to cultivate the mountains. On the contrary, community income was very small. Obviously the aim of local officials wasn’t economic. I suggest that community authorities were inspired by a different social and political project. Lots of village families (peasants and gentlemen, riches and poors) shared small lands, while strangers were excluded. This aspect, alongside with the very favourable conditions assured to tenants, created a strong social cohesion and framed a «neighbourhood economy», where community and land market were strictly interdependent.