Urban/Rural Divide Feeds Demands For Greater Autonomy

About a month ago, as Catalonia was preparing to vote for independence, I wrote that the growing urban/rural divide that is increasing in almost all developed countries will lead more and more cities and the regions in their immediate surroundings to start to demand more and more independence from the central governments of their own countries.

On Sunday, Lombardy, the region in Italy dominated by Milan, will be voting on their own referendum on whether the region should negotiate "conditions for autonomy" with the Italian government. On the same day, the adjacent region of Veneto, dominated by Venice and including the cities of Padua and Verona, will also be taking a similar vote.

The Northern League is the dominant party in both regions, although the party goes by the Liga Veneto name in that region. The Northern League has been a secessionist party in the past, advocating for what they call Padanian nationalism, which reflects the belief that the wealth created in the northern part of Italy should stay there. These non-binding referendums, while not secession per se, still reflect the attitude that these regions give far more than they get from the central government. The regional governor in Lombardy estimates that the region sends 54 billion more euros to Rome than it receives. "In an era of globalization, when Lombardy’s industries are competing against China and India, it has to reinvest its resources in its territory," said the Northern League’s regional secretary, Paolo Grimoldi. "It’s economic good sense."

Lombardy is asking for more than just economic independence, though. The regional governor "has singled out 23 sectors that it wants to control, including those related to security and immigration, education, scientific research and environmental protection."

Italy, more than most countries because of its own unique regional history and the fact that country was only unified less than two centuries ago, has a long history of demands for regional autonomy. It remains to be seen whether this vote really advances the cause of autonomy for these regions. Some believe it is merely a political stunt to rally support for the Northern League in preparation for national elections next year.

But setting aside the unique situation in Italy, the demand for greater autonomy from wealth-producing urban regions will only continue to grow. And if the Republican tax plan manages to transfer even more wealth from the urban engines of our economy, primarily in blue states like New York and California, by removing the state and local tax deduction, it would not be surprising to see these demands for greater autonomy here in the US.