The Demographic Policy of the Italian Government

MR. C. P. TISDALL was in the Chair and introduced the guest, who was received with applause and spoke as follows: I regard it as a great privilege to be permitted to address the members of the Empire Club, and tell them something about what we are attempting under Mussolini to do along certain lines for the people of Italy. When the Fascist Party assumed the reins of power, the statistics of Italy were in a chaotic condition. To remedy this state of affairs, Mussolini created an organization known as the Central Institute of Statistics of the Kingdom of Italy. The Central Institute has not only the responsibility for collecting and publishing the vital, agricultural, and economic statistics of the country, but also of correlating and collecting the statistics prepared by the other departments and the local bodies, which submit to the Institute their problems and follow its instructions. Another function of the Institute is to promote and encourage the study of statistics, in which connection it has taken the initiative in establishing special schools of statistics in the universities. In view of this function just mentioned, it has been thought wise that the Institute should not be placed within any specific ministry or subordinate to any functionary of the character of a Deputy Minister, but should, on the one hand, be directly responsible to the Premier, and, on the other, have a scientific head. As a matter of fact, the personal interest and cordial intervention of Mussolini have proved of paramount importance in realizing the construction of Italian statistics, which at present, after four years of intensive work, may be conceded as complete. His idea is that statistics are indispensable in order to get an adequate knowledge of the present conditions and of the future development of society. And as Mussolini thinks on the other hand that no man has a right to rule a nation who is not able to look at least fifty years ahead, you understand then why Mussolini conceives statistics to be a very important instrument in the development of a government. Without statistics, Mussolini argues, it is impossible nowadays to direct the affairs either of a nation or of a private organization. This especially is true from the population point of view. Knowledge of the Italian researches and the evolution of nations, and even more, perhaps, a powerful imagination, convinced Mussolini that the demographic factor is the most important in the life of the nation; not only because it is an element of first importance for its economic, cultural, and military power, but also because it provides the indication as to its organic vitality.

It would perhaps be well to indicate the general trend of the white population, and the fundamental results of the recent scientific researches in this field. Statistics of population movement show in all the white-race countries, save perhaps in some more or less poor states of South America, a decrease in birth rate more or less intense. At the same time a diminution of the death rate has taken place which has more or less balanced the decrease of birth rate, so that the natural increase of the population either has not yet diminished, or it has diminished only from a later period and in a smaller measure that in the case of the birth rate. In the states, however, in which the decrease of birth rate is more accentuated, there is by this time a clear diminution also in the natural increase; and among these states we should include Italy, which, after having reached the highest figure of its birth rate in 1876, with 39.3 per thousand, has gradually decreased to 25.1 per thousand. At the same time the natural increase of its population, which had its maximum of 14.2 per thousand in 1872, declined to 10 per thousand in 1928, and to 9 per thousand in 1929. Notwithstanding this, the demographic balance of all the white races closes with an excess of births over deaths. Only in France in the least favourable year it shows a deficit in the natural increase. By fixing their attention upon this fact there have not been lacking, even recently, those who have feared a possible danger of excess population. But a deep examination shows that the excess of births over deaths depends, at least partially, but exclusively for some states, on the circumstance that the classes between 20 and 40, to which exclusively is entrusted generation, and which show a relatively low rate of deaths, are today particularly plentiful, owing to the fact that the number of deaths, generally on the increase at the beginning of the century, has afterwards diminished. If one eliminates the effects of this transitory circumstance, it is clear that the conditions of the white-race countries, from a standpoint of demographic vitality, are far less favourable. Comparing, indeed, the number of males and females of 20 to 30 years of age, ascertained in the most recent censuses, with the male births which ought to have occurred within the last years, one is convinced that in many states the latter would not be in a condition to reproduce in twenty years the number of the population, keeping in account the rate of mortality which the population shows at present. Such is the case for England and Wales, Scotland, and most probably also Ireland, Finland, Esthonia, Latvia, Sweden, Norway, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria. The population of all the states of Western, Northern, and Central Europe should be conceded as virtually on the way to decrease, with the exception of two small states, that is, Holland and Denmark, the latter of which does not seem, on the other hand, very far from the conditions in which the other states find themselves. The Latin nations, Italy and Spain--the data for Portugal are wanting--and all the Slav nations which from the south and east surround the virtually decreasing populations, are decreasing. Outside of Europe, of the states for which statistics are at hand, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, the South African Union, Japan, and British India: still show a more or less real rapid increase. The United States seems to be near to, if not already in, a virtually stationary condition. Therefore there arises a problem for other white-race countries, and especially for Italy. Are the conditions completely different from those of the states of Northern, Central and Western Europe, so that their demographic future may be regarded with absolute faith, or do they find themselves only in a preceding state of the same demographic evolution, where the germs of decadence are not yet manifest? It is clear what the future prospects are if, as everything makes us believe, the demographic trend of Northern, Western, and Central Europe is destined to manifest itself and become accentuated. The extent of the consequences must be evidently different, according as such populations are followed at a short distance on the same path by other nations of white races which surround them, or as the latter continue for still a long time in their ascending development. But in either case it is vital for the future of a nation like the Italian, which finds itself on the margin of the demographic depression shown, to avoid being attracted, and not to wait for events-in conditions of the uttermost demographic potentiality. Here is the scientific basis of the propulsive policy of populations adopted in Italy by Mussolini.

Let us now examine more particularly the steps taken by the Government and by local administrations to implement this policy. In the year 1928, the government took measures so that a large contributory exemption should be granted to numerous families, including the exemption of 300,000 lire in total income and the complementary progressive tax with the additional tax on income. The proportionate reduction of the higher incomes and the total exemptions from tax on licences and house and lands, and communal tax, and the special tax on goods from syndical contributions, and taxes of every order and grade of schools and scholastic teachers--these partial or total exemptions of the payment of tax are enjoyed by officials and employees of the state, even if they are on the pension list, and by those, of course, of public bodies when they must provide for seven or more children of Italian nationality; they are also enjoyed by those who, even if they do not belong to the staff of the state and the aforementioned bodies, if able to provide for more children of Italian nationality, or if they have had twelve or more children born alive and capable of living, must be provided for. On the other hand, provisions of negative character, or at least not favourable, are taken for bachelors. We shall speak about the tax on bachelors later on. Here we wish to mention how by the law of the year 1929, containing provisions in favour of increase, the conditions of a bachelor or spinster, or the preservation of the condition, will not constitute a reason for preference of employees of the state, provinces or communes or public institutions, but on the contrary for an equal merit the employees who are married with offspring must always be preferred. Such conditions are extended also for contract and private employment. Mussolini has also established that all the provisions which exclude married women from employment, or which grant a preference to spinsters, or to single children, or analogous rules, no matter if the persons are in the employ of the state or other public bodies, or whatever corporation or association in the state control, are no longer compatible with the demographic principles of the Government. Similarly, the allotment of public or economic houses, or such as are built with the assistance of the state, or of the provinces, or of the communes, and all charitable institutions, must always be made in favour of married employees with children capable of serving, in preference to those without children, and the latter to the unmarried. These measures are intended to help those who have a family to provide for. Other provisions of the state aim at protecting and assisting maternity and infancy. By the law of December, 1925, the government has aimed at the protection of women during maternity, and of infants from the time of suckling to childhood and the scholastic period. It is a complex action of protection, still not fully developed, entrusted by the state to an institution known as Opera Nacional Maternite, which brings Italy into the vanguard of the most advanced nations. The Opera Nacional in the development of its mission must aim at the following tasks: To protect and assist women during their pregnancy, and needy or abandoned mothers; suckling children up to five years of age belonging to needy families; children physically or psychically abnormal, and morally gone astray or delinquent, up to the age of eighteen years. The Opera Nacional has been entrusted also with the task of the diffusion of the rules and scientific nature of pre-natal infant hygiene, and, by means of institutions of nursing, with the supervision of women during the gestation period; to found theoretical and practical schools for the care of infants before and after birth, and popular classes of maternity and infant nursing; to organize in co-operation with the provincial and local authorities, to direct the anti-tubercular work and to struggle against infantile diseases, paying attention that the orders for the protection of maternity and infancy are strictly applied. By the same law the hospitals, maternity asylums, and other institutions of the same kind are obliged to provide, within the means placed at their disposal, for the assistance of young mothers who have reached the eighth month of their pregnancy, or during the confinement and lying in for weeks after each birth, even if the women according to the regulations of those institutions are not entitled to help. And to the women employed in the establishments of the state, or belonging to other public bodies, are made applicable the rules issued from 1907 for the industries, regarding the periods of rest for women lying in and women nursing. The law in question has extended to childhood the vigilance and protection of the Opera Nacional when the family is unable to care for them, taking away the children from more dangerous surroundings and placing them in institutions. The employment of children under fifteen years of age is forbidden. It is forbidden to give wine and alcoholic drinks to children in schools, institutes and asylums, and also to serve in public places drinks to children; also to administer to them cigars, cigarettes, or any kind of tobacco. The Opera Nacional is entrusted also with the care of children born of illegitimate union, when the mother is unwilling to bring up her own child. But the law is in the interest of the offspring and comes to the aid of the fallen woman. The law regards abortion as a crime, by punishing not only the culprit and all who have contributed to the criminal act, but also by providing through police regulations for the deportation of those midwives and physicians who have habitually been giving their assistance to such operations.

Provisions like these in the laws for protection of maternity and infancy, if they are to be applied, need vast means, and to assure them the state, from January 1st, 1927, instituted a personal property tax on bachelors from 25 to 65 years inclusive, to be paid during the time of bachelorhood and to be applied on a progressive basis according to the total income possessed by each bachelor. (Applause.) Other provisions have been taken by the Government to prevent demographic wealth being decreased by emigration, either permanent or temporary; because it is well known how temporary emigration due to local circumstances is easily changed to permanent emigration. Within the last few years some states have begun to limit our immigration numbers for economic reasons, so as to avoid labour competition, but other states have tried to favour it in every way to compensate their demographic losses caused by the scarcity of birth. The Italian Government, without totally prohibiting emigration, provided to strongly reduce the same, and also to favour the return of emigrants. Those labourers remaining at home were absorbed by agriculture, which became more and more intensive, so that there was need of more help. No one must forget the colonies transferred to Sardinia for the purpose of making those grounds productive; and as the child of an Italian subject born in France is conceded to be French, there is a provision that a couple approaching childbirth may return to their town in Italy to be delivered, receiving their travelling expenses and assistance at childbirth by means of a subsidy. We have mentioned the damages caused by the flow of labour to towns depressing labour and rendering more acute the problem of hours. Nor must we forget the damage caused by forsaking a free life and replacing it by the life of a city. Mussolini has personally called attention to the progressive decline of the birth-rate, with its indirect relation to the rapid increase of cities, which grow up, drawing to them agricultural people, who, as soon as they have taken up residence therein decrease their birth-rate. At the same time, by depopulation of the country they are assisting the decay of agriculture and producing a deficiency of the fundamentals of subsistence and the impoverishment of the nation. By the law of December, 1928, there has been conferred the power of making obligatory ordinances for the purpose of limiting excess increase of people residing in cities. All those who arrive at the city without means of living and work, and those also who, having received a promise of work, remain by whatsoever reason without any possibility of securing employment in a short time, must be sent back to their homes, and they are not to return to the city once they are expelled. The application of this law is not to create a scarcity of labour, but it must be carried out in a perfect spirit of social equity to correspond to the superior ideas of moral order they have inspired and dictated. Together with this action of the state has been developed that of local bodies according to instructions issued by Mussolini, and which contemplate a whole organic series of provisions. Some of the latter have already been mentioned when speaking of the law and financial exemption extended also to government taxes.

We now wish to mention the first bonus granted by the communes for each child after the sixth or eighth, and paid until it is fifteen years, or to be paid to the family which is conceded as most worthy for demographic purposes, for the greatest number of children within a certain period of married life. When a commune has granted five early bonuses of 100;000 lire, also to be paid to those families that within a period of six years have had the greatest number of children, it is put in the bank for deposit for the children, while the parents may have the interest until they reach their age. They have granted to parents of large families a reduction in fare on the tramways, or reduced the price of gas, or have granted medical assistance and the free distribution of medicine, or the expenses for childbirth, or have paid for the children to go to school, for books or clothing, or have facilitated the admission of children in assisted callings, and so on. Certain mountain communes have tried to check migration to the cities by favouring the construction of modern houses in place of the old timber houses, by granting lands and building material. Other communes have tried to better the conditions of local living through the introduction of electric light, the construction of aqueducts, the improvement of roads, and by starting regular motor service to the nearest cities so as to lessen the state of isolation. A very useful propaganda has been carried out by newspapers, by publishing the data of demographic movements, by reproducing the portraits of large families, and granting prizes to those communes which can show the highest birth-rate. Mussolini himself has taken a most vigorous part in such propaganda by contributing articles to the newspapers and reviews, by appealing to the people every time there is an opportunity, and by granting personal bonuses to large families and to mothers having more than one child at a time. He recognizes that the religious fervour of the Italian is also of great use in the struggle against the decrease of birth. It strengthens family ties, makes the parents feel that children are the gift of God, attracts the individual to the tranquil domestic joys in numerous offspring, and points out the best guarantee for one's old age.

The campaign against the decrease of birth started relatively a short time ago, too short, perhaps, to gauge quantitatively its results. It will never be easy to appreciate it and get a clear idea about it, as it would be necessary to compare the increase of birth-rate with the natural increase of the Italian population which would have happened if the propulsive policy of Mussolini had not been carried out. While it is necessary to be watchful and not delude oneself by thinking that the effects of such a policy can be reflected in a short time in a radical change in the Italian birth-rate, it may be stated with conviction that the demographic policy of Signor Mussolini is offsetting the neoMalthusian doctrine which is undermining the future of other nations. If it means an adequate reaction in the national consciousness, it will prove of great advantage to our country in international competition. "My conviction," wrote Signor Mussolini, "is that even if the laws had shown themselves useless, we must try as one tries all medicines when the case is desperate. But I think that the laws of population, negative and positive, may annul or retard the decrease if the social organization to which they are applied is still kept up. If man does not feel a joy and pride in being continued as an individual, as a family, and as a people, if a man does not feel, on the other hand, the sadness and the shame of dying as an individual, as a family and as a people, the laws fail. Law must be employed as a stimulus to gospel." (Applause.)

The thanks of the club were tendered to the speaker by Sir Robert Falconer.