ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes briefly the macroeconomic evolution of the Italian economy during the final three decades of the twentieth century by adopting a cyclical-growth approach that provides a few suggestive links with the co-evolution of some of the economy's structural features. It intends to limit the analysis to a cursory look at the authors' interaction with the development of the economy without any attempt to provide an in-depth analysis of their determinants. The chapter describes thereafter in the following three sections dedicated to Stagflation (1971-1980), Disinflation (1980-1993) and Integration in the Eurozone (1993-2001). In Italy, the restrictive monetary policy and the ensuing appreciation of the lira caused a profound structural change in the economy and in particular in the manufacturing sector. In addition, the mediocre performance of the real economy at the turn of the millennium is also related to the peculiarities of the industrial structure, and in particular, its specialization in the traditional manufacturing sector.
