Determinants and characteristics of internal mobility through military medical examinations. Friuli (North-eastern Italy) between 19th and 20th century

This paper examines geographical mobility in the second half of the 19th century. The aim is to analyze characteristics of internal migration in relation to socioeconomic status and geographical provenience (birthplace) of migrants. The analysis, based on individual level data and carried out at the municipal level, concerns the population of Friuli, a region of north-eastern Italy. The research is based on medical examinations of some 160,000 military call-up records issued between 1880 and 1910 by the Italian Recruitment Office. Mobility was most likely in the presence of these characteristics: born in small-sized municipalities, located in the hilly areas of the province; belonging to the upper class; involved in public administration or domestic services; with weak family ties; and limited literacy skills. The labour market emerges as one of the key determinants of internal mobility. Social groups who were strongly characterized by international long-distance emigration were little involved with short-distance, internal movements.