Brutal and innovative Medicis inspire Gove’s plan to level up

MICHAEL GOVE’S “levelling-up” plans are inspired by a line of medieval Italian aristocrats who were renowned for their innovation and brutality, it has been reported.

The Housing Secretary is said to have told Cabinet colleagues he hopes to emulate the “Medici Effect” – a theory of the development of early modern Florence from the 12th century – under which business, political and cultural hubs interacted to produce economic growth.

A 2004 book of the same name, by the Swedish-american entrepreneur Frans Johansson, suggests that innovation takes place when diverse industries are situated in the same place.

The Medici, a family of Italian nobles, rose to power in northern Italy and are famed for their patronage of the arts and brutality in public life.

Mr Johansson argues that their support for artists in the region indirectly led to the Renaissance.

The ruthless dynasty is also known for its tendency to seize power by violent means and has been accused of poisoning its enemies.

Mr Gove is understood to have been inspired by the theory and believes the Government can foster similar hubs in northern towns and cities in England, The Times reported.

However, historians say the application of the theory to levelling up was limited because the Medici effect took place in a wealthy area that was already primed for development.

Prof Catherine Fletcher said: “I’m quite sceptical of how you connect what the Medici did and levelling up. When the Medici came to power in Florence, it was already one of the richest parts of Europe.

“So they’re not starting with the equivalent of Blackpool or Bolton, where you have very deprived areas, and are building up to create the equivalent of a Renaissance city state.

“I think we need to consider the fact that before they got the great art of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo, they had a very strong manufacturing base, agricultural sector and textile industry.”

Prof Geraldine Johnson, of the University of Oxford, said: “It is refreshing to see ministers learning from history that support for the arts and humanities can drive innovation and disrupt conventional thinking.

“Let’s hope this new-found enthusiasm for the Medici translates into more funding for teaching, research and outreach in the arts and humanities right across Britain.”

‘When the Medici came to power in Florence, it was one of the richest parts of Europe already’