NEED OR FAR SIGHTEDNESS: LOOKING FOR GOLD DURING THE FASCIST AUTARKY PERIOD

The topic of autarkic policy, the strengthening of certain productions and sectors has over time interested scholars from many disciplines and in recent years the discussion has been enriched by new works that have provided food for thought, revitalising the debate on the subject. The essay analyses unpublished documentation consulted at the Bank of Italy archives and supported by an extensive literature on the subject. The aim of the research is to highlight the salient features of the autarkic policy with particular reference to the national gold industry and the role of the colonies in the discovery of the precious mineral.