Chapter 1

Don Bosco's times

Don Bosco lived between 16 August 1815 and 31 January 1888. His birth coincided with the date that marks Europe's definitive transition from the ancien régime to modern times, helped on by the powerful effect on the course of history wrought by the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire (1789-1814). This transition was restrained by decrees issued by the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815), and the Holy Alliance (26 September 1815). The former gave temporary shape to Europe's political geography.

But the upper hand would come from such profound historical events that by the end of the century, the face of Europe and, from many points of view, the whole world would end up being altered. Among the most outstanding of the historical events we can single out: rapid social and cultural changes; the industrial revolution; the irrepressible aspirations for national unity which were initially overlooked and later carried through with resolute determination in Germany and Italy; Europe's colonial expansion and consequent economic, political and cultural imperialism.1

What happened primarily was a progressive and diversified transition from the secular model of society

base d on status (Aristocracy, Clergy and The Third Estate), to a bourgeois society based on division of

classes. This new society was characterised by growing tensions sharpened through the establishment

of an industrial proletariat aware of its own poverty, e xisting injustices, and also aware of its own

importance thanks especially to emerging socialist forces.

The Industrial Revolution is of enormous historical relevance. It was the most dramatic revolution

since the Stone Age

2, with unforseeable repercussion

s at all levels of human existence: technical and

scientific, economic and social, cultural and political. The industrial revolution, resulting from a

capitalist background, claims England as its place of origin, during the second half of the 18

th

century. By the middle of the 18th century it had taken firm hold, to varying degrees, in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and in the United States of America. Italy had to wait until the beginning of the last 20 years of the 18th century. Prior to this, some phenomena of pre-industrialisation could have been spotted in places like Turin, but with local import only.

The aspirations towards national, political unity would gradually become clear, widespread and intense, thanks especially to the input of liberal and democratic forces. But they would find opposition from political conservatives, advocates of regionalism, self-interested viewpoints, and in Italy, as well as all of the above, from the special situation of the Papal States. We have to keep in mind that due to the Congress of Vienna Italy, which for centuries had never achieved national unity, was actually divided into the following political entities:

- the Lombard-Venetian Kingdom under the Austrian Empire (Trent, Trieste and part of Istria had

become imperial estates);

- the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza given to Maria Louise of Hapsburg (1815 - 1847), former

French empress (at her death it was transferred to the Bourbons of Parma);

- the Duchy of Modena and Reggio given to Francis IV of Hapsburg-Este (1815-1846);

- the Duchy of Massa and Carrara given to Maria Beatrice of Este, mother of Francis IV (when

she died, the Duchy was transferred to her son in 1831);

- the Duchy of Lucca given to the Bourbons of Parma and Piacenza and later on joined to the

1 Cf J. Godechot, L'epoca delle rivoluzioni. Turin, Utet 1981, p. 929

2 Cf. C.M. Cipolla, La riuzione industriale, in Storia delle idee politiche, economiche e sociali, ed. L. Firpo, (Turin: Utet

1972), 5, 11.