The success and crisis of the Free Port of Livorno between the 17th and 19th centuries: an overview

Abstract

Free ports, which emerged in the 16th century, were a response to the changes taking place on a global scale, particularly the discovery of the American continent and the consequent opening of Atlantic routes. This dissertation examines the period of peak and subsequent crisis of the free port of Livorno between the 17th and 19th centuries. Livorno was declared a free port in 1676 and became a model to follow as it was the most successful free port in the Mediterranean. This analysis will discuss the emergence of free ports, providing an overview of the phenomenon by highlighting the definitions given by different academics. Additionally, this dissertation will analyse the various free ports in Europe to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the historical context. The decline of Livorno's free port will also be discussed. An analysis of Livorno's free port will be conducted, explaining its cosmopolitan identity that enabled it to become one of the most prosperous free ports of its time. Although Livorno's free port was successful, it is crucial to examine the impact of Italy's unification in the 19th century on the port's eventual decline. Furthermore, precisely because of this last point, it is interesting to analyse the political debate of the time concerning the abolition of the free port in order to reconstruct the arguments and contextualise the historical period under scrutiny.