Public finance and local development in a time of crisis

Contribution published in the book “Investimenti, innovazione e città: una nuova politica industriale per la crescita” edited by Cappellin R., Baravelli M., Bellandi M., Camagni R., Ciciotti E., Marelli E, Egea 2015
Downloadable from the site of the Discussion Group “Growth, Investments and Territory”: http://www.economia.uniroma2.it/dedi/ebook-politiche-

This book provides a characterization of the conditions and modalities to identify, promote and advance a massive plan of public and private investments at national, regional and local levels, that should act as a “driving engine” for the relaunching of growth and employment.
The strategy proposed has a clearly defined goal: the integration of macro-economic policies with territorial and urban policies, and with the micro-economic policies of investments and innovation. In particular, it is considered strategically significant to promote the growth of our economy’s internal demand, to meet the now hidden and emerging needs of citizens, and to identify the industrial and financial tools necessary to aggregate the individual demands for “common” or collective goods and services.
The purpose of the book is in line with that of the Discussion Group on “Growth, Investments and Territory”, which organized a Policy Workshop at the Polytechnic University of Milan on 20 March 2015. It is in fact aimed at providing hints for an efficient “economic policy platform”, more up-to-date as compared to the traditional frameworks that led Italy and Europe to a marked long-term downturn. A parallel goal is to devise, plan and suggest innovative investment projects for the economic development of cities and territories.