Istituzioni politiche e sviluppo locale nella Terza Italia

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the local public policies in three main regions of the so-called Third Italy (Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and Veneto) aiming to support the texile sector in the middle of the '80. These policies were oriented to help SMEs (small and medium enterprises) forming 'industrial districts' and facing the technological and market transformation of that crucial historical phase. Two main trajectories emerged, linked to political, cultural and social different contexts: in the red belt (Tuscany and Emilia Romagna) public-private initiative prevailed (Centri di servizi per le imprese); in Veneto the winning solution was the verticalization of the productive structure and the consolidation of poles of familiar industrial group, like Benetton. The paper is dedicated to the memory of Merrie Gilbert Klapp.