This consequentially meant that only 25% of their income could be spent on luxurious items, which was very little considering the amount of hard work they endured on a daily basis. These factors really disheartened the peasants and with no immediate improvements on the horizons, many decided to leave and start a new life in a foreign country. .
Another serious issue that worsened the situation was ill health suffered by many. This was mainly due to their nutritional diet that often consisted of polenta (a substitute to bread made out of maze) and a variety of vegetables. Meat was rarely available alongside cheese and wine, which were only consumed on special occasions. Wheat was largely unavailable; in fact, "a study of 1903 suggested it was unknown in over one-fifth of all Italian communes". The lack of diversity in these diets led to outbreaks of disease such as pellagra, which was caused by vitamin deficiency. Half of the peninsula was affected by malaria, and outbreaks of tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases were widespread, the majority of which in the south. This was made worst by the poor living conditions in which the peasants lived, often consisting of single room dwellings shared with animals. A census conducted in 1881 revealed that 100,000 people lived in "subterranean dwellings". This whole process led to a negative circle in the sense that poorer wages led to poorer living conditions, resulting in poor health and finally the want to leave and try and live a better life.
The social problems mentioned up to now were worsened by the primitive stage Italian manufacturing was in. Italy seriously lacked behind their European counterparts. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Italy had 500,000 cotton spindles in comparison to the 30 million possessed by Britain, and 5.5 million by France. Despite a small industrial boom in the 1880s, only certain regions such as Piedmont, Lombardy and Liguria benefited.
