The economic effects of big events: Evidence from the great jubilee 2000 in Rome

This paper assesses the short- and long-term economic impact of the 2000 Great Jubilee, the foremost Catholic event occurring every 25 years, on the city of Rome's economy. By applying the synthetic control approach, we find that the value added per capita increases slightly in the short term, whereas in the long term it is not significantly different from what it would have been if Rome had not hosted the Jubilee. However, we do find a significant effect on the employment rate. Consistent with these findings, we document a shift of the local economy toward less productive sectors, such as construction and services requiring lower skills, and an overall productivity loss with respect to the counterfactual scenario. The investment in infrastructure, facilities, and urban refurbishment did not significantly increase housing prices in the long term, with the exception of peripheral residential areas, which experienced an appreciation.     

Duties and rights in the thought of Giuseppe Mazzini

Abstract

In the Mazzinian sense, duties are not commandments. Duty means dià logos, dialogue. It posits a dialectical approach that welcomes different points of view, recognizes the dignity and legitimacy of diversity, is determined to understand the reason of ‘others’ for the sake of peaceful coexistence, and to oppose institutions and governments that trample on fundamental human rights. Duties in the Mazzinian sense are ethical guidelines, to be examined and applied personally on a daily basis, keeping in mind the consequences of one's actions. This definition of duty is the premise for the Mazzinian concept of republican solidarity, which rises from the awareness that everyone and everything has an assigned role and a dignity of its own, and is therefore in direct or indirect relationship with the rest.     

Renovatio imperii Romanorum: quando Crescentius decollatus suspensus fuit. An analysis of the meaning of Otto III’s first lead bulla

The legend Renovatio imperii Romanorum, which appears on the lead bulla adopted by Otto III in April 998, was emblematic in defining the persona of this emperor. Since the nineteenth century, the text has been identified with the communication to the empire of a programme of reform. However, the notion that this legend had a programmatic value is not substantiated by the literary, archival or linguistic sources. In no document did Otto announce an intention for imperial reform and nor did he show any interest in planning – and the meaning of the words therefore needs reconsideration. The historical context of the appearance of the seal in April 998 merits wider discussion. In this study, contemporary sources, not least the bullae themselves, are reviewed, leading to a redefinition of the original celebratory function of the bulla’s legend.