Dal credito rurale all'invenzione di una élite: il Censorato generale del Regno di Sardegna

The Censorato Generale of the Kingdom of Sardinia is one of the most mature fruits of the eighteenth-century reformism promoted by the House of Savoy. This paper analyzes the role played by the Censorato Generale in terms of agricultural development of Sardinia, through the establishment of a more effective system of rural credit in each of the more than 350 villages of the island. Secondly, the article highlights the contribution offered by the Censorato Generale in defining a new local ruling class, by calling it to directly manage rural credit; to promote the improvement of agricultural productions; to test new agricultural techniques and crops (potato, tobacco, cotton) and to embody a new model of farmer, in line with 18th century economic thought.