nep-hpe New Economics Papers
on History and Philosophy of Economics
Issue of 2020‒05‒04
eight papers chosen by
Erik Thomson
University of Manitoba

  1. Karl Helfferich and Rudolf Hilferding on Georg Friedrich Knapp’s State Theory of Money: Monetary Theories during the Hyperinflation of 1923 By Greitens, Jan
  2. Le triomphe de l’injustice. Une lecture libre du livre de Saez et Zucman By Jacques Fontanel
  3. LES SOCIALISTES UTOPISTES FACE A L' ESCLAVAGE By Christian Saad
  4. Jean-Baptiste Fourier at the Moscow Conjuncture Institute: Harmonic Analysis of Business Cycles By Marco Paulo Vianna Franco; Leonardo Costa Ribeiro; Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque
  5. Das Moralparadoxon der Moderne: Ordonomische Überlegungen zur modernen Ethik als Ethik der Moderne By Pies, Ingo
  6. Classifying top economists using archetypoid analysis By Wohlrabe, Klaus; Gralka, Sabine Marlene
  7. Recordando la persona y la obra de J. H. G. Olivera By Juan Carlos de Pablo
  8. On the Influence of Top Journals By Lorenzo Ductor; Sanjeev Goyal; Marco J. van der Leij; Gustavo Nicolas Paez

  1. By: Greitens, Jan
    Abstract: The monetary ideas of Georg Friedrich Knapp have recently resurfaced in the context of the Modern Monetary Theory whose representatives see themselves in his tradition. The historical debate on Knapp's "State Theory of Money," which divided opinion when it was first published in 1905 as well as during the period of German inflation that peaked in 1923, is therefore of particular interest. Knapp describes money largely from a legal perspective, labelling it a "creature of the legal order". The principle "Mark = Mark" reflects his nominalistic approach. However, he opposed monetary state financing, and favoured balanced governmental budgets. One of his students, Karl Helfferich, was the most influential monetary theorist in the German Reich during the first decades of the 20th century. In defining Knapp's view as an ultimate ideal that might be realised at some point, and his own metallist approach as a practical necessity, he tries to reconcile his teacher's nominalistic theory on the one hand with his own gold currency-principles on the other.The monetary theory of the Marxist Rudolf Hilferding was eclectic, but he moved closer to a nominalistic approach after studying Knapp's theory. During inflation, Helfferich, a representative of the Balance of Payments Theory, and Hilferding, more of the Quantity Theory of Money, also held opposing views in the public debate on the monetary reforms required. The relationship between the three authors was highly complex. While Helfferich and Knapp were personally close, they were far apart in their theories although Helfferich tried to conceal this fact. Hilferding and Helfferich, meanwhile, held similar views on some practical points, such as the necessity of a gold-based currency, but clashed vehemently on a personal level. (English version of: Karl Helfferich und Rudolf Hilferding über Georg Friedrich Knapps "Staatliche Theorie des Geldes": Geldtheorien zur Zeit der Hyperinflation von 1923“, IBF Paper Series 04-19, https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/215 928/)
    Keywords: Helfferich,Hilferding,Knapp,State Theory of Money,Hyperinflation,Modern Monetary Theory
    JEL: B31 E31 N14
    Date: 2020
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esconf:216102&r=all
  2. By: Jacques Fontanel (CESICE - Centre d'études sur la sécurité internationale et les coopérations européennes - UPMF - Université Pierre Mendès France - Grenoble 2 - IEPG - Sciences Po Grenoble - Institut d'études politiques de Grenoble - UGA - Université Grenoble Alpes)
    Abstract: Saez and Zucman's book on the triumph of injustice is of great interest. First, because it presents complex and sometimes even secret statistical analyses that they have managed to collect and organize in a rigorous way for the United States. Secondly, it highlights the increase in inequality due to tax evasion and optimization. Finally, they show the unjustified nature of these differences in income and wealth, which they consider to be a serious threat to democracy. Proposals, mainly tax and international law proposals are put forward that are relatively simple and redress the greatest injustices. Heavily indebted states suffer from the willingness of large multinational firms to evade taxes, with the risk of a dominant oligarchy establishing a plutocracy. It must be added that the system of economic crises leads to the rise of a fundamental violence that can call into question all the collective values that form the basis of a nation and an economic system.
    Abstract: Le livre de Saez et Zucman sur le triomphe de l'injustice présente un grand intérêt. D'abord, car il présente des analyses statistiques complexes et parfois même secrètes qu'ils ont réussi à recueillir et à organiser de manière rigoureuse pour les Etats-Unis. Ensuite, il met en évidence l'accroissement des inégalités, du fait de l'évasion et de l'optimisation fiscale. Enfin, ils témoignent du caractère injustifié de ces différences de revenus et de patrimoines qu'ils considèrent constituer une menace grave contre la démocratie. Des propositions, principalement fiscales et de droit international, sont proposées, relativement simples et réparatrices des plus grandes injustices. Les Etats fortement endettés souffrent de cette volonté des grandes firmes multinationales à échapper à l'impôt, avec le risque d'une oligarchie dominante instituant une ploutocratie. Il faut ajouter que le système de crises économiques conduit à l'essor d'une violence de fond qui peut remettre en cause toutes les valeurs collectives qui fondent une Nation et un système économique.
    Keywords: Injustice,taxation,inequalities,tax havens,multinational firms,democracy,oligarchy,collective goods,fiscalité,inégalités,paradis fiscaux,firmes multinationals,démocratie,oligarchie,biens collectifs
    Date: 2020–03–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02546608&r=all
  3. By: Christian Saad (LC2S - Laboratoire caribéen de sciences sociales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UA - Université des Antilles)
    Abstract: Le positionnement des économistes classiques (comme Adam Smith ou Jean Baptiste Say par exemple) face à l'esclavage avait déjà fait l'objet de nombreux travaux. A l'opposé, la pensée des économistes socialistes utopistes ou scientifiques face à cette question de l'esclavage, restait explicitement à réaliser. Dans un autre colloque, la pensée de Marx et d'Engels sur cette question de l'esclavage a déjà été présenté. Cependant afin d'avoir une vision plus globale de la pensée socialiste du XIXème siècle, la pensée des économistes utopiques restait à défricher et approfondir. L'importance de l'économie dans la réflexion sur l'esclavage est absolument centrale car c'est précisément au nom d'arguments d'efficacité économique que s'est installée la traite et c'est aussi comme nous le verrons, toujours au nom de cette soi disant efficacité économique que de nombreux économistes (y compris libéraux) préconisèrent l'abolition d'un système qui devenait fondamentalement ruineux et inefficace sur le plan de la rationalité économique. Que pensaient ces économistes socialistes utopiques d'un mouvement et d'un système esclavagiste encore existant de leur vivant ? Se sont ils contentés d'avoir un simple positionnement abolitionniste eu égard à leur humanisme et à leur philanthropie ? Ou ont-ils véritablement analysé théoriquement l'esclavage comme phénomène économiquement essentiel à leurs yeux ? Ont-ils considéré ou construit une analogie forte entre l'esclavage colonial et la situation des prolétaires d'Europe ou ont-ils vu une différence de nature entre ces deux phénomènes historiques ?
    Date: 2020–04–17
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-02539296&r=all
  4. By: Marco Paulo Vianna Franco (Fundação João Pinheiro); Leonardo Costa Ribeiro (Cedeplar-UFMG); Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque (Cedeplar-UFMG)
    Abstract: This article proposes a historical assessment of harmonic analysis of business cycles. For that purpose, it presents Jean-Baptiste Fourier’s main idea and addresses its reception at the Moscow Conjuncture Institute, mediated by Henry L. Moore and Albert L. Vainshtein, which led to Eugen Slutsky’s well-known 1927 article on the random causes of cyclical processes. In addition, more recent approaches to business cycles, such as real business cycle theory and spectral analysis, are traced back to Fourier and key figures working on economic applications of harmonic analysis in the first decades of the 20th century. Revolving around its ability to both decompose and build cycles, this tool still presents an untapped potential for contemporary analyses of long-term economic dynamics. Hence, it is worthwhile to determine Fourier’s role in the history of economic thought, what necessarily leads to the long-lasting contributions of the creative institute headed by Nikolai Kondratiev.
    Keywords: harmonic analysis; business cycles; Fourier transform; spectral analysis; Eugen Slutsky
    JEL: B16 B23 C02 E32
    Date: 2020–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdp:texdis:td621&r=all
  5. By: Pies, Ingo
    Abstract: Das Moralparadoxon der Moderne besteht darin, dass die moderne (Welt-)Gesellschaft - wie keine Gesellschaftsformation vor ihr - wichtige moralische Anliegen verwirklichen kann und ansatzweise auch tatsächlich verwirklicht, während sie - wie keine Gesellschaftsformation vor ihr - auf moralische Vorbehalte stößt, die bis zur radikalen Ablehnung ihrer Funktionslogik reichen können. Das Forschungsprogramm der Ordonomik interpretiert dieses Paradoxon als das Ergebnis einer Moralkonfusion, die primär dadurch zustande kommt, dass die auf systemischen Wettbewerbsanreizen basierende Funktionsweise der modernen Gesellschaft in weiten Teilen der Bevölkerung unverstanden geblieben ist. Nach ordonomischem Verständnis gehört es zu den wichtigsten Aufgaben der Ordnungsethik, einer verfehlten Anwendung handlungslogischer Zurechnungsmodi entgegenzuwirken und durch geeignete Aufklärungs- sowie Steuerungsargumente konstruktiv daran mitzuwirken, Sozialstruktur und Semantik wechselseitig aneinander anzupassen, damit gesellschaftliche Lernprozesse zur Verwirklichung moralischer Anliegen besser gelingen.
    Keywords: Ordonomik,Ordnungsethik,Moralparadoxon der Moderne,Moralkonfusion,intentionalistischer Fehlschluss,moralistischer Fehlschluss,ordonomics,order ethics,moral paradox of modernity,moral confusion,intentionalist fallacy,moralistic fallacy
    Date: 2020
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:mlucee:202001&r=all
  6. By: Wohlrabe, Klaus; Gralka, Sabine Marlene
    Abstract: Updating the study by Seiler and Wohlrabe (2013) we use archetypoid analysis to classify top economists. The approach allows us to identify typical characteristics of extreme (archetypal) values in a multivariate data set. In contrast to its predecessor, the archetypal analysis, archetypoids always represent actual observed units in the data. Using bibliometric data from 776 top economists we identify four archetypoids. These types represent solid, low, top and diligent performer. Each economist is assigned to one or more of these archetypoids.
    Keywords: Archetypoid analysis,Classification,RePEc,economists
    JEL: C38 I21 I23
    Date: 2020
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:tudcep:0120&r=all
  7. By: Juan Carlos de Pablo
    Abstract: Las autoridades de Económica me solicitaron que preparara un comentario bibliográfico sobre un par de libros publicados en honor a Julio Hipólito Guillermo Olivera (1929-2016), encargo que acepté con gusto. Pero no resisto la tentación de referirme primero a su persona, y al impacto que su labor multifacética produjo entre los economistas argentinos.
    Date: 2020–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cem:doctra:720&r=all
  8. By: Lorenzo Ductor (University of Granada); Sanjeev Goyal (Columbia University); Marco J. van der Leij (University of Amsterdam); Gustavo Nicolas Paez (Myanmar Development Institute)
    Abstract: We study the evolution of the influence of journals over the period 1970-2017. In the early 1970's, a number of journals had similar influence, but by 1995, the `Top 5' journals, QJE, AER, RES, Econometrica, and JPE, had acquired a major lead. This dominance has remained more or less unchanged since 1995. To place these developments in a broader context, we also study trends in sociology. The trends there have gone the other way; the field journals rose in influence, relative to the Top General journals. A model of journals as platforms is developed to understand these trends across time and across disciplines.
    Keywords: research impact, Top 5 journals, academic publishing, citations
    JEL: A14 D85
    Date: 2020–04–19
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tin:wpaper:20200019&r=all

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