Unlike Italy, in Britain the state’s eff orts in maintaining the levels of agricultural production and imports of consumption goods, rationing, and rent control raised the living expectations of the poorest, while public health and food quality improved (Procacci 2013, 48). While in Italy average real daily earnings decreased during the war years (falling continuously from 1915 to 1918), in Britain the average weekly real wages increased over the same period (rising continuously from 1913 to 1919).

Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, loc. 1653