Fatta l'Italia, bisogna fare le banche italiane : la formazione dello Stato unitario nella parabola delle banche di emissione

This contribution reinterprets the history of the Italian banks of issue until the establishment of the Bank of Italy as a key aspect of Italy's nation building. Rather than focusing on the numerous reforms these banks underwent over time, this article dwells on their political and symbolic relevance and on the narratives that have inspired and interpreted them. The banking question thus reveals itself as a microcosm reflecting on the one hand the conflicts between centralisation and decentralisation, between one region and another, characterising the pre unification states and united Italy, and on the other the disillusionment following the Risorgimento. [Publisher's Text].