Rural economy and pluriactivity in the Alpine valleys of Lombardy, 18th and 19th centuries [Économie rurale et pluriactivité dans les vallées alpines lombardes (XVIIIe-XIXe siècles)]

Until the end of the 18th century, in the Alpine valleys of the Lombardy, agriculture, cattle-breeding, and sylviculture were subsumed under the pluriactivity of Alpine households. Although some inhabitants were forced to migrate temporarily to work in urban areas or in farming on the plains, most families by engaging in pluriactivity were able to remain and work in their home valleys. During the 19th century, as a result of some major institutional and technological changes and the new fiscal system, there was a progressive decline in revenue from the primary sector and Alpine manufactures. In this context, pluriactivity could no longer guarantee Alpine families their financial equilibrium and survival: consequently, many Alpine villages were affected by a sharp drop in population. A socio-economic and demographic equilibrium was preserved only in the Alpine valleys where manufacturers had the necessary expertise to innovate and produce high-quality goods, and so were able to maintain excellent connections with the markets of the plain.