Abstract
The transformations occurred over time in the middle classes can only be understood when read in accordance with the changes in the economy, in the labour market, in the educational system and in gender-relations. The article, based primarily on historical series recently published by ISTAT for the 150 years of Italian history, tries to analyze the complex dymamics of change occurring from the 1945 to date and to understand how this change contributed to define and redefine middle classes.
