|
on History and Philosophy of Economics |
| By: | Hagen M. Krämer (Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences) |
| Abstract: | Kurt W. Rothschild, an Austrian economist known for his multiparadigmatic and inter¬discipli-nary approach, made significant contributions to Keynesian and post†Keynesian economic theory. Born in 1914 in Vienna, his work encompassed price theory, labor market economics, growth and distribution, power and ethics in economics, and economic policy. His incisive critique of neoclassical theories, advocacy for state intervention, and commitment to methodological pluralism distinguish his work as a vital contribution to economic thought. Since income distribution is a central theme in Rothschild’s research, this paper examines his contributions to post†Keynesian distribution theory. Following a brief overview of his life, academic formation, and the historical context that shaped his thinking, the paper explores his theoretical innovations, emphasizing his rejection of mono†causal explanations in favor of an approach that integrates economic, political, and social dynamics. Rothschild’s perspective on income distribution as a product of complex interactions between markets, institutions, power structures, and ongoing conflict is a defining feature of his work. The paper concludes by assessing the continued relevance of his insights for contemporary economic research. His legacy remains a guiding framework for scholars seeking a more holistic and dynamic understanding of income distribution and its policy implications. |
| Keywords: | Kurt Rothschild, Multiparadigmatic Approach, Post†Keynesian Theory, Bargaining Power, Labor Market Economics, Distribution Theory |
| JEL: | E24 D31 J31 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imk:fmmpap:118-2025 |
| By: | José M. Menudo (Department of Economics, Universidad Pablo de Olavide) |
| Abstract: | This article reinterprets the 1825 financial crisis by recovering the overlooked contribution of Álvaro Flórez Estrada, a Spanish economist whose 1826 pamphlet proposed a bullion-scarcity thesis as the root cause of financial collapse. Rather than attributing the crisis to speculative mania or domestic mismanagement, Flórez linked monetary contraction to the disruption of silver and gold inflows from Latin America following independence wars. Drawing on archival pamphlets, economic correspondence, and periodicals, the article traces the transnational circulation of Flórez’s ideas—through parliamentary debate in Britain, journalistic controversies in France, metaphorical reframing in Italy, and reprinting in postcolonial Latin America. By centering a Hispanic interpretation of crisis causality, the article challenges Anglo-centric narratives and reframes early financial thought as inherently global, multilingual, and geopolitically embedded. |
| Keywords: | Classical Economics; Economic crisis; Spread of economic ideas; Early modern period; Monetary policy |
| JEL: | B31 B12 B19 N2 B41 E5 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pab:wpaper:25.08 |
| By: | Pies, Ingo |
| Abstract: | Dieser Aufsatz interpretiert Kant aus ordonomischer Sicht: Wie denkt Kant, und warum denkt er so, wie er denkt? - Kant will die Menschenwürde begründen. In dieser Absicht entwickelt er die Idee, den höchsten Grundsatz der Moral als Zweck zu denken, der zugleich Pflicht ist. So identifiziert er eine spezifische Form, mit der jeder Mensch den kategorischen Imperativ als moralisches Prüfkriterium anwenden kann. An die Allgemeinheit dieser Form knüpft Kant die Allgemeinheit der Menschenwürde. Kants Rigorismus, seine Purifizierungsstrategie, bezieht sich deshalb allein aufs Denken, nicht aufs Handeln. Er begrüßte es, wenn ein Handeln aus Pflicht von eigenen Interessen, von "Lust und Liebe" begleitet wird. Für eine zeitgenössische Theoriebildung sind vor allem zwei Aspekte von besonderem Interesse: (a) Kant wusste um die Bedeutung institutioneller Anreize für moralischen Fortschritt; (b) Kants Theoriearchitektur verwendet Zweckmäßigkeit als regulative Idee und zielt darauf ab, Theorie für die Praxis zu betreiben, indem sie Ideen denkt, die ihrer eigenen Verwirklichung vor- und zuarbeiten. |
| Abstract: | This article interprets Kant from an ordonomic perspective: How does Kant think, and why does he think the way he does? - Kant seeks to ground human dignity. To this end, he conceives the idea of thinking the supreme principle of morality as an end that is at the same time a duty. He thus identifies a specific form that enables every person to apply the categorical imperative as a moral criterion. Kant ties the universality of this form to the universality of human dignity. His rigorism-his strategy of purification-thus concerns thinking, not acting. He welcomed actions done from duty, even when they were accom- panied by personal interests, by "pleasure and love." For contemporary theory-building, two aspects are of particular interest: (a) Kant recognized the importance of institutional incentives for moral progress; (b) Kant's theoretical architecture employs purposiveness as a regulative idea and aims to produce theory for practice-by formulating ideas that anticipate and prepare their own realization. |
| Keywords: | Vernunftphilosophie der Freiheit, moralische und politische Autonomie, Menschenwürde, Vorrang des Rechten vor dem Guten, Zweckmäßigkeit als regulative Idee, Konflikt als Motor des Fortschritts, Liberal philosophy of reason, moral and political autonomy, human dignity, priority of the right over the good, purposiveness as a regulative idea, conflict as a driver of progress |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:mlucee:327135 |
| By: | Pies, Ingo |
| Abstract: | This article interprets Kant from an ordonomic perspective: How does Kant think, and why does he think the way he does? - Kant seeks to ground human dignity. To this end, he conceives the idea of thinking the supreme principle of morality as an end that is at the same time a duty. He thus identifies a specific form that enables every person to apply the categorical imperative as a moral criterion. Kant ties the universality of this form to the universality of human dignity. His rigorism-his strategy of purification-thus concerns thinking, not acting. He welcomed actions done from duty, even when they were accom- panied by personal interests, by "pleasure and love." For contemporary theory-building, two aspects are of particular interest: (a) Kant recognized the importance of institutional incentives for moral progress; (b) Kant's theoretical architecture employs purposiveness as a regulative idea and aims to produce theory for practice-by formulating ideas that anticipate and prepare their own realization. |
| Abstract: | Dieser Aufsatz interpretiert Kant aus ordonomischer Sicht: Wie denkt Kant, und warum denkt er so, wie er denkt? - Kant will die Menschenwürde begründen. In dieser Absicht entwickelt er die Idee, den höchsten Grundsatz der Moral als Zweck zu denken, der zugleich Pflicht ist. So identifiziert er eine spezifische Form, mit der jeder Mensch den kategorischen Imperativ als moralisches Prüfkriterium anwenden kann. An die Allgemeinheit dieser Form knüpft Kant die Allgemeinheit der Menschenwürde. Kants Rigorismus, seine Purifizierungsstrategie, bezieht sich deshalb allein aufs Denken, nicht aufs Handeln. Er begrüßte es, wenn ein Handeln aus Pflicht von eigenen Interessen, von "Lust und Liebe" begleitet wird. Für eine zeitgenössische Theoriebildung sind vor allem zwei Aspekte von besonderem Interesse: (a) Kant wusste um die Bedeutung institutioneller Anreize für moralischen Fortschritt; (b) Kants Theoriearchitektur verwendet Zweckmäßigkeit als regulative Idee und zielt darauf ab, Theorie für die Praxis zu betreiben, indem sie Ideen denkt, die ihrer eigenen Verwirklichung vor- und zuarbeiten. |
| Keywords: | Liberal philosophy of reason, moral and political autonomy, human dignity, priority of the right over the good, purposiveness as a regulative idea, conflict as a driver of progress, Vernunftphilosophie der Freiheit, moralische und politische Autonomie, Menschenwürde, Vorrang des Rechten vor dem Guten, Zweckmäßigkeit als regulative Idee, Konflikt als Motor des Fortschritts |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:mlucee:327134 |
| By: | Fabien Eloire (CLERSÉ - Centre Lillois d’Études et de Recherches Sociologiques et Économiques - UMR 8019 - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Julien Gradoz (CLERSÉ - Centre Lillois d’Études et de Recherches Sociologiques et Économiques - UMR 8019 - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) |
| Abstract: | This article examines "the economics of singularities" by Lucien Karpik, which is a sociological theory explaining the functioning of markets for a specific type of goods, labeled as "singularities", defined according to three criteria: the plurality of qualities, quality uncertainty and the primacy of quality. According to Lucien Karpik, singularities complement the typology of goods traditionally used by economists, consisting of homogeneous and differentiated goods. He argues that singularities represent a "blind spot" of what he calls "neoclassical economic theory." According to him, while neoclassical economic theory is adequate for studying homogeneous and differentiated goods, an autonomous framework is indispensable for studying singularities. In this article, we propose a comprehensive overview of the economics of singularities, and we formulate a critique of Karpik's positioning in relation to neoclassical economic theory. |
| Keywords: | interdisciplinarity, economic sociology, singularities, Lucien Karpik |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05265677 |
| By: | Ashwin, Sarah; Gomez, Rafael; Laroche, Patrice |
| Abstract: | David Marsden enriched and extended the field of employment relations with his interdisciplinary and comparative practice. This introduction to the special issue honouring his work examines the nature of David’s contribution and analyses his influence on employment relations and adjacent fields. The article highlights David’s original engagement with the social science questions of his day, and his comparative craft which entailed sensitivity to difference and a commitment to grounded, institutionally-embedded analysis. Previewing the articles that make up this special issue, this introduction shows how David’s work provides signposts to a better world of work. |
| Keywords: | comparative employment relations; interdisciplinarity; embeddedness; mployment systems; varieties of capitalism; wellbeing |
| JEL: | R14 J01 J50 |
| Date: | 2025–09–29 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:129505 |
| By: | Jean-Daniel Boyer; Claude Diebolt; Michael Haupert |
| Abstract: | In the final chapter of The Rules of Sociological Method (1895), Émile Durkheim, the principal founder of French sociology, stresses the importance of adopting systematic quantitative comparisons in sociological research. First, quantitative methods enable the detection of previously unrecognized causalities and social laws that remain imperceptible through observation alone. Second, they assist in establishing and substantiating causal links. Durkheim even outlines two types of applications for serial quantitative analysis, distinguished by both static and dynamic perspectives. In this article, we argue that cliometrics offers a way to fulfill Durkheim’s initial (but soon abandoned) ambitions and transform sociology from a narrative discipline to one that incorporates quantitative methods and the precision they can bring to the treatment of social facts. This epistemological shift could open new avenues for both sociology and cliometrics. |
| Keywords: | Cliometrics; Durkheimian Sociology; Social Causality; Quantitative Methods; Epistemology of the Social Sciences; Social Physics. |
| JEL: | B41 N01 Z13 A12 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2025-29 |
| By: | Lenders, Marc |
| JEL: | D90 H21 H23 Q58 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:vfsc25:325435 |
| By: | J. Atsu Amegashie |
| Abstract: | According to the economics Nobel laureate, Kenneth Arrow, “… capitalism is a flawed system. It probably has the same virtues as Churchill attributed to democracy: It’s the worst system except for any other.” Thus, capitalism is a necessary evil, but it is not inherently bad. I argue that most people have a capitalist mindset but do not have the power to be capitalists. There are different intensities of capitalist mindsets and constraints on the power of capitalists. Thus, there are different types of capitalism and, as a result, different socio-economic outcomes. I discuss the relationship between capitalism and economics and conclude that the perception that economists are cheerleaders of neoliberalism and capitalism may be wrong. |
| Keywords: | capitalism, economists, free market, power, regulation, values |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12177 |
| By: | Jean-Daniel Boyer |
| Abstract: | Dans Les passions et les intérêts (1977), Albert Hirschman entend montrer que l’affirmation de l’esprit du capitalisme a été la conséquence d’une progressive transformation culturelle contribuant, dans l’Europe moderne, à atténuer les passions individuelles et à faire de l’intérêt le motif essentiel des actions humaines. En l’absence d’enquêtes sur les moeurs, nous nous proposons de tester ses conclusions en examinant les motivations des protagonistes des romans français du dix-huitième siècle. Nous montrons que la thèse d’Hirschman est invalidée : la recherche du gain pécuniaire est absente des romans. Quand il est – très rarement – utilisé, le terme « intérêt » a en outre une acception extrêmement polysémique. Dans les romans du dix-huitième siècle, les passions se présentent comme la détermination essentielle des protagonistes. La question de la puissance de leur manifestation et de leur (im)possible régulation constitue l’enjeu de la trame romanesque. |
| Keywords: | intérêt, gain pécuniaire, Hirschman, passions, romans. |
| JEL: | A12 A13 A14 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2025-30 |
| By: | Roland Bénabou; Luca Henkel |
| Abstract: | We review the economic literature on self-image, which conceptualizes identity as a set of beliefs about one’s core traits, values, goals, and social ties. Self-image concerns lead individuals to process information and make choices in non-standard ways that help affirm and protect certain valued identities. We first present the main cognitive mechanisms involved within a simple unifying framework. We then survey the extensive laboratory, online, and field experimental literature on the nature and behavioral implications of self-image concerns. We discuss in particular how they give rise to information and decision avoidance, motivated memory and beliefs, excuse-driven behavior, preferences for truth-telling, hypothetical bias, moral cleansing and moral licensing, collective identities, political preferences, and other forms of self-signaling or self-deception. We subsequently discuss common empirical strategies used to identify self-image concerns, as well as the threats to their validity and how to alleviate them. We conclude by outlining open questions and directions for future research on the belief-based approach to identity. |
| JEL: | D64 D82 D91 Z13 |
| Date: | 2025–09 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34297 |
| By: | Claude Diebolt |
| Abstract: | Cet article propose une relecture critique et cliométrique du système d’assurance vieillesse et invalidité instauré en Allemagne à partir de 1889 sous l’impulsion de Bismarck. Loin du mythe d’un modèle fondateur maîtrisé, il met en lumière les nombreuses fragilités d’un dispositif confronté, dès ses débuts, à des déséquilibres financiers, à des effets d’incitation non anticipés et à d’importantes disparités régionales. Construit sur une logique capitalisante sans mécanisme d’ajustement progressif des cotisations, le système révèle rapidement une insoutenabilité structurelle, aggravée par une dynamique des dépenses plus soutenue que celle des recettes. L’analyse quantitative mobilise un ensemble inédit de séries statistiques portant sur les rentes, les cotisations, les frais de gestion et leur distribution territoriale. Elle met en évidence la croissance spectaculaire des rentes d’invalidité, préférées par les assurés pour leur accessibilité et leur rendement comparatif, au détriment des rentes de vieillesse. Le taux de remplacement demeure très faible, révélant ainsi les limites assurantielles du dispositif et son incapacité à garantir un revenu de substitution suffisant. Au-delà de l’étude historique, ce travail ambitionne de nourrir la réflexion contemporaine sur la soutenabilité des systèmes de retraite. Il invite à repenser les fondements économiques, sociaux et politiques des régimes contributifs, et souligne l’importance de la confiance intergénérationnelle et de l’adaptabilité institutionnelle face aux mutations démographiques. L’expérience allemande de la fin du XIXe siècle, à bien des égards, entre en résonance avec les questionnements actuels en France sur l’équilibre et la légitimité des politiques de retraite. |
| Keywords: | Retraite, Bismarck, Assurance sociale, Soutenabilité financière, Cliométrie |
| JEL: | N33 H55 I38 J14 C82 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2025-28 |