Alessandro Roncaglia

Piero Sraffa is one of the key intellectual protagonists of the 20th century. This book provides a comprehensive overview of Sraffa's life and his influence on politicians, economists and philosophers such as Antonio Gramsci, John Maynard Keynes and Ludwig Wittgensteinches Alessandro Roncaglia closely examines Sraffa's ideas and theoretical contributions, from the critique of Marshallian theory of the firm to his revival and reinterpretation of the classical approach. This book considers the explosive potential of Sraffa's celebrated work Production of Commodities by Means of Commodities; which provided both the solution to the problems left open by the classical theory of value and the provided the foundations for a critique of marginalist-neoclassical theory of capital and distribution. Sraffa aimed at a complete turn-around of economic theory, from the dominant neoclassical-marginalist approach to a classical-Keynesian one, and discusses present trends of research within this latter approach, the full impact of which has not been understood by mainstream economics. This perceptive and in-depth account is a must-read for all interested in rediscovering the development of the 'Sraffian Revolution'.

"The evolution of economic thought can be traced back from its beginnings in classical antiquity up to the present day. In this book, Professor Alessandro Roncaglia offers a clear, concise and updated version of his award-winning The Wealth of Ideas, studying the development of economic thought through perspectives and debates on the economy and society over time. With chapters on prominent economic theorists, including William Petty, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes, as well as on other important figures and key debates of each period, Roncaglia critically evaluates the foundations of the marginalist-neoclassical (scarcity-utility) approach in comparison to the Classical-Keynes approach. A comprehensive guide to the history of economic thought, this book will be of value not only to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying economic thought, but also to any readers desiring to study how economics has evolved up to the present day"-- "A Brief History of Economic Thought The evolution of economic thought can be traced back from its beginnings in classical antiquity up to the present day. In this book, Professor Alessandro Roncaglia offers a clear, concise and updated version of his award- winning The Wealth of Ideas, studying the development of economic thought through perspectives and debates on the economy and society over time. With chapters on prominent economic theorists, including William Petty, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes, as well as on other important figures and key debates of each period, Roncaglia critically evaluates the foundations of the marginalist-neoclassical (scarcity-utility) approach in comparison to the Classical-Keynes approach. A comprehensive guide to the history of economic thought, this book will be of value not only to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying economic thought, but also to any readers desiring to study how economics has evolved up to the present day"--

The Wealth of Ideas traces the history of economic thought from its prehistory (the Bible, Classical antiquity) to the present day. In this eloquently written, scientifically rigorous and well documented book, chapters on William Petty, Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Karl Marx, William Stanley Jevons, Carl Menger, LEon Walras, Alfred Marshall, John Maynard Keynes, Joseph Schumpeter and Piero Sraffa, alternate with chapters on other important figures and on debates of the period. Economic thought is seen as developing between two opposite poles: a subjective one, based on the ideas of scarcity and utility, and an objective one based on the notions of physical costs and surplus. Professor Roncaglia focuses on the different views of the economy and society and on their evolution over time and critically evaluates the foundations of the scarcity-utility approach in comparison with the Classical/Keynesian approach.

"The Wealth of Ideas traces the history of economic thought, from its prehistory (the Bible, Classical antiquity) to the present day. In this scientifically rigorous and well documented book, chapters on William Petty, Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Karl Marx, William Stanley Jevons, Carl Menger, Leon Walras, Alfred Marshall, John Maynard Keynes, Joseph Schumpeter and Piero Sraffa alternate with chapters on other important figures and on debates of the period. Economic thought is seen as developing between two opposite poles: a subjective one, based on the ideas of scarcity and utility, and an objective one based on the notions of physical costs and surplus. Professor Roncaglia focuses on the different views of the economy and society and on their evolution over time and critically evaluates the foundations of the scarcity-utility approach in comparison with the Classical/Keynesian approach."--Jacket.