Delve into the formative years of Italy with this compelling academic study on railways and state formation. Albert Schram critically examines the period from the 1840s to nationalization in 1905, revealing how railway development exerted a profoundly divisive influence on Italian political life and the nation’s unification. Essential for students and scholars of European history, political science, and nation-building, this book offers vital insights into the intricate connection between infrastructure and the consolidation of the 19th-century Italian state.