Abstract

"Running by Machines? Automation, Labour Dynamics, and Institutional Reform at the National Institute of Social Insurance (INPS), 1948-1971"

Michele Santoro, German Historical Institute, Rome (santoromichele7047@gmail.com)

Technological innovation has attracted scholarly attention, prompting investigations into its challenges and prospects for economic development and managerial efficiency. This field of study is extremely important for public administration, notably in social security and welfare, where it has received little historical attention. This paper investigates the impact of Information Technology (IT) breakthroughs on welfare state administration using Italy's National Institute of Social Insurance (INPS) as a case study from 1948 to 1971. During this time, the INPS was a key player in Italy's social welfare system, processing significant data on pensions and other payments. The INPS, governed by representatives from both trade unions and government ministries, offers a unique viewpoint on the impact of technological developments and automation on labour and public sector reform.
The study focusses on two key questions: how ministry and union representatives evaluated technological advancements at INPS, and how automation and IT businesses impacted administrative processes and changes within the Institute.
Using INPS historical records and other sources, this study looks at how IT influences the administrative, managerial, and reformative components of welfare state management. Specifically, it examines union responses to automation and the evolving visions of work shaped by these technological advancements. This analysis highlights the complex role of technology in transforming welfare administration, contributing to the historiography of IT developments, automation of work and welfare state reform.