Paolo Balsamo, Smithianism and the Birth of Liberalism in Sicily

The article focuses on the transition process of Sicily, between the endof 18th century and the beginning of 19th, from the Ancien Regime to a modern society,underlining the intellectual and political role of the Sicilian economist PaoloBalsamo. The professor of Agriculture and Economics at University of Palermofounded the Sicilian liberalism on Adam Smith’s works and tried to reform the institutionsof the island aiming to make them the model of a Smithian nation. Thearticle analyses Balsamo’s work by highlighting the interlacement of culture, socialinterests and political emergencies, all of which had an effect on how Smithianismwas adopted in Sicily.