Page 360 - Costellazioni 2
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Scandals in Europe during WWI: the Illegal Gains
FABIO ECCA
The First World War was an industrial as well as military conflict, in
which the quality and quantity of production helped determine the
final outcome. In Italy and other countries, the industrial effort was
made possible by the so-called “Industrial Mobilisation” policies. The
leaders in the Industrial Mobilisation were such important figures as
Alfredo Dallolio, David Lloyd George, Walter Rathenau and Albert
Thomas (in Italy, Britain, Germany and France respectively).
Focusing the analysis chiefly on Italy (with some comparison with
what occurred in other European Countries), this paper provides an
overview of the system of management that oversaw production dur-
ing the war and a empts to identify some of the gray areas that char-
acterised the productive system in different countries, leading certain
suppliers to realise significant excess profits.
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