Il lotto in rima
Polemiche romane e pasquinate settecentesche
by Gherardo Ortalli
Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche-Viella
Treviso-Rome, forthcoming
(Ludica Minima, 3)
This volume in the “Ludica Minima” series takes us to the heart of the 18th century and the heated controversy over whether lotteries should be allowed or banned, with first-hand accounts, protests and initiatives to deal with the often convergent aspects of economic and moral problems and those of good governance.
Papal Rome thus had an important and extremely delicate role to play, and the texts gathered here explore the serious ethical, cultural and administrative issues being debated. It is through irony, humour and satire, however, that these verses tackle one of the key problems facing the society of the day.