Amministrazione finanziaria e funzioni di beneficenza nella storia della Congrega della Carità Apostolica di Brescia nei primi decenni post-unitari (1866-1896)

The research has the target to probe in depth the economic and financial management of the Congrega della Carità Apostolica, which was active in Brescia for almost five centuries (still fully active, the institution has risen at half of the XVI century from the casting of some consortia caritatis). In particular, were examined post-unification years, from 1866 to 1896, which for the Congrega was a period of particular significance. In the three decades considered, in fact, the Board reorganized its system of assistance and charity and carried significant institutional changes, including the reform of its statutes after the L. No. 6972 of 1890 - the so-called "Crispi Law" - which is, as noted, an important moment in the regulation of charitable and welfare institutions. Attention is focused in particular on the mechanisms of management of movable and immovable heritage, as well as the delivery mechanisms of charity. The first phase of the research has involved a careful exploration of existing literature about the welfare and charitable institutions in modern and contemporary age, especially those active in the late nineteenth century Brescia. The research then focused on the role of the Congrega in the financial dynamics within the city of the late nineteenth century. The result is that the institution led not only charity, but also the credit and financial market in Brescia. In particular, the research shows the gradual but decisive shift from an asset management "static" (real estate management, acquisition, inheritance) to a more "dynamic" (granting loans, business loans, etc.). Diachronic scanning allows the author to follow the evolution of purely institutional dynamics, and at the same time allows him to propose an efficient analysis of budgets, property and financial management for various periods, developing some of the dynamics of financial management (disbursement of loans, development of the use of debt) by reading some budgets and administrative acts. These events are read into the policy of the Congrega for comparison with the city government that followed, and also allows the author to show how effectively the Congrega has been able to cope with changes in management and administration of charitable assistance and charity in years after unification.