"Giuseppe Prato" collection

Type: Personal / thematic bibliographic collection of Giuseppe Prato
Status: Closed collection
Location: “FP”
Time span: 1831–1984
Language: Mainly Italian and French; includes titles in English, German, Latin, Spanish, and other languages
Format: Printed monographs
Access conditions: On-site consultation, with special precautions due to the condition of the materials; digitization available on demand
Origin: The collection constitutes the personal library of Giuseppe Prato, a Turin-based economist, professor of Public Finance, and Member of the Italian Parliament in the immediate post–World War I period

Content:

The collection is heterogeneous in nature but features a clearly defined core of monographs and serial publications covering a broad time span, from the late nineteenth century to the first half of the twentieth century, with some later extensions. The predominant themes are political, economic, and social history, with particular attention to the dynamics of the labour movement, socialism, communism, and the economic and political theories of the period. The works include both writings by leading figures of these movements and analyses of specific contexts, such as Soviet Russia and Bolshevik Hungary. The publications were largely issued in Italy, with a significant presence of Milanese and Turin-based publishers, often associated with political movements or ideologically oriented publishing houses. The oldest volumes in the collection have been incorporated into the “Antichi” collection.

Main thematic areas:

• History of the labour movement and of socialism/communism: Theoretical and historical texts on the origins, development, and doctrines of socialism and communism, with particular reference to the Italian, Russian, and Hungarian contexts.
• Social and political sciences: Works on political theory, sociology, social criticism, and political economy, analysing class structures, reforms, and power dynamics.
• Economics and finance: Publications, including serials, dealing with economics, finance, and economic policies, often from a critical or reform-oriented perspective.
• Law and legislation: Works addressing legal issues related to labour, social rights, and legislative reforms.

Documentary and historical value:

The collection exhibits a high degree of thematic coherence, focusing almost exclusively on issues related to social, political, and economic history between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This coherence makes the collection particularly relevant for academic and specialized research, especially in studies on the history of socialism, the labour movement, and twentieth-century political ideologies. The presence of historical serial publications, such as La Riforma Sociale and the Rassegna di Scienze Sociali e Politiche, as well as editions of foundational texts of the period, confers considerable documentary value on the collection. Although there are no evident works of local interest, the presence of rare or hard-to-find publications on the antiquarian market—such as volumes issued by publishers associated with political parties or movements—significantly enhances the collection’s importance.