Why did so many leave calabria in the 1920's?

Answer 1

Mass emigration from Calabria began not long after the region was unified with the rest of Italy in 1861. The reasons were the economic policies of the new Italian state which greatly increased taxation and abolished the rights of usage that the peasantry had traditionally held over common lands. These rights were often vital for their survival. After Unification the new Italian state also engaged in a systematic policy of confiscation and removal of parts of the economic infrastructure of the region (i.e.: iron works at Mongiana).

Initially the reaction of the Calabrian people to Unification was to join in a rebellion involving vast areas of the South which was given the name of "brigantaggio". This revolt was put down in a bloody conflict which devastated vast areas. The failure of these revolts and the other factors given above, together with improvements in communication and transport, triggered the great Calabrian emigration.

From 1880 to 1900 an average of about 8 people per annum out of every thousand emigrated from Calabria. From 1900 to 1925 this figure rose to 12 people out of every thousand. If we consider that the population of Calabria was about 1,400,000 for this period, we can calculate that over 200,000 Calabrians left from 1880-1900, while about 420,000 left between 1900-1925. It should be remembered that most of these emigrants went overseas to the Americas, so that relatively few returned to Italy. In contrast the migration from northern Italy was predominantly towards other European countries and more temporary in nature.

The Fascist government of Italy (1922-1943) had a policy of discouraging emigration. After the Second World War emigration began again in earnest. From 1951 to the early 1980s about 800,000 left Calabria. Today, with the renewed and worsening economic crisis of Calabria, this migration has again gained momentum.