Francesca Guiducci

La Società di Carità Materna. Politiche per “povere donne partorienti maritate” fra ancièn regime e periodo napoleonico

Introduction

La società di carità materna. Politiche per “povere donne partorienti maritate” fra ancièn regime e periodo napoleonico . Studio su Società di Carità Materna (1788-1814): assistenza a donne partorienti indigenti in Francia e Stati italiani durante l'Impero napoleonico. Approfondimento su politiche e soccorso.

Abstract

Lo studio ricostruisce sviluppo, operato e sistemi di controllo della Società di Carità Materna fondata in Francia nel 1788 e sostenuta dall’impero napoleonico in diversi territori, fra cui quelli ex-pontifici. Documentata negli Stati romani e in Toscana fra il 1812 e il 1814, l’istituzione assistenziale promossa dalle élites altoborghesi e nobiliari si rivolgeva alle donne partorienti sposate delle classi indigenti. Inserita appieno nel programma di centralizzazione statale e chiaro esempio di économie mixte d’assistance pubblica e privata, la breve esistenza della Società di Carità Materna nel quinquennio del Grand Empire si dimostra un interessante episodio di soccorso domiciliare rivolto a donne e famiglie in miseria ancora poco studiata.

Review

The submitted paper, "La Società di Carità Materna. Politiche per 'povere donne partorienti maritate' fra ancièn regime e periodo napoleonico," offers a compelling and much-needed exploration into an under-researched area of social welfare history. Focusing on the Società di Carità Materna, an institution established in France in 1788 and subsequently expanded under the Napoleonic Empire, the study sheds light on policies specifically designed for "poor married women in childbirth." The abstract effectively signals the significance of investigating this specific form of domestic aid, particularly its operation during a pivotal period of European history, bridging the Ancien Régime with the transformative Napoleonic era. The research meticulously reconstructs the development, operational mechanisms, and control systems of the Società, utilizing documentary evidence from regions such as the Roman States and Tuscany between 1812 and 1814. The paper highlights the institution's nature as an "économie mixte" of public and private assistance, driven by both state centralization efforts and the patronage of high-bourgeois and noble elites. By analyzing this specific case, the study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between philanthropic initiatives, nascent state welfare programs, and the socio-economic challenges faced by indigent families during the Grand Empire's quinquennium. It underscores how domestic aid for specific vulnerable groups was integrated into broader political agendas. Overall, this study promises a significant contribution to several fields, including the history of welfare, Napoleonic studies, and gender history. Its focus on a "little-studied" yet "interesting episode" of domiciliary relief for women and families in poverty fills a critical gap in our understanding of social assistance during this transitional period. The paper's robust documentary basis and its analysis of an institution that exemplifies the evolving relationship between private charity and state intervention make it a highly original and valuable piece of scholarship. It encourages further comparative research into similar initiatives across the diverse territories of the Napoleonic Empire and beyond, enriching our comprehension of evolving social policies and their impact on vulnerable populations.

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