The Italian City-States and the Mechanisms that Interrupted its Consolidation

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An extended period of freedom from foreign intrusions, along with newly accumulated wealth from trade, allowed Italy to surpass its European counterparts in economic and political development between the 12th and 15th centuries. During this period, Italy’s political organization consisted of city-states. Secular city-sates contrasted the great monarchies of France and Great Britain. During this time period, city-states were a modern and sovereign method of political organization unique to Italy; however, the Italians did not create city-states. For example, city-states were present during the Warring States era of China from 656 BC to 221 BC. The Italian city-state system and Warring States China have many similarities, including their origins and certain political practices. Both systems evolved from a prior feudal order and contained sovereign states that waged wars, practiced diplomacy, and formed alliances. Warring States China and the Italian city-states also posses many differences, which account for why Warring States China was able to consolidate, while the Italian city-states succumbed to foreign domination and were not able to do so until the 19th century. Whereas Warring States China practiced state strengthening policies, Italy did not and as a result mechanisms arose that interrupted its process of unification. These mechanisms include interchanging periods of war and cooperation, the Papacy, French occupation, and domestic instability.
The origins of Italian city-states and the manner in which they interacted are essential to understanding the mechanisms that interrupted Italian unification. Italian city-states originated as communes. Communes consisted of municipal bodies engaged in local government that depended o...

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...Italy. The Italian city-states often formed alliances to reap the benefits of a “mercantile economy” and share military resources (Epstein 2000). However, the alliances were often fickle and abbreviated. Alliances between city-states formed and then dissolved as a result of commercial and territorial competition (Epstein 2000). In order to please the newly emerged wealthy merchant class, states often attempted to control waterways, roadways, and other optimal locations for trade. For example, Genoa, Pisa and Venice fought naval campaigns for islands and colonial outposts abroad (Pullan 1973). War became chronic in the Italian city-states.
The period of war and cooperation led to the establishment of mechanisms and institutions with the purpose of resolving or preventing conflict. One such mechanism was the invention of modern diplomacy through the establishment of

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