This essay defines economics as a social science characterized by a particular and evolving way of thinking, and explores its scope and limitations. It is argued that economics has a strong normative nature and that it is ideological by construction. Thus, economics is better suited to improve...

In spite of the use of a utilitarian language in Rational Choice Theory, economists do not acknowledge any link to this current of moral philosophy, and have made great efforts to rid economics from its legacy. In this document we aim at assessing these efforts retracing their history from...

In spite of the use of a utilitarian language in Rational Choice Theory, economists do not acknowledge any link to this current of moral philosophy, and have made great efforts to rid economics from its legacy. In this document we aim at assessing these efforts retracing their history from...

The economic approach to the study of human behavior has been presented by its foremost representative as the most effective method of studying social phenomena. Gary Becker's view supposes that, on the one hand, all social phenomena can be explained as a consequence of individual actions and,...

Spanish Abstract: John Rawls, uno de los más influyentes filósofos contemporáneos, nos hizo volver a pensar en términos de justicia. Desde el comienzo del desarrollo de su teoría, Rawls intentó establecer un diálogo con los economistas porque creía que tenían un enorme ascendiente sobre...

Hirschman was both a pioneer and a dissenter of development economics. He shares with the high theory the virtues and misfortunes of committing to modernize the underdeveloped world, but his exposure to the politics of development in Latin America gave new life to his early insights. Revealing...

Lauchlin Currie and Albert O. Hirschman worked together as advisers to the National Planning Council in Colombia in the 1950's. Both had little experience in development economics when they arrived, and did not see eye to eye about the functioning and policy recommendations of the Council....

Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Adam Smith stand on opposite sides regarding their appraisal of commercial society. The citizen of Geneva is known as one of its most harsh critiques, whereas the Scottish philosopher is considered as one of its main advocates. However, both authors coincide on one...

This work analyzes the contributions of L. Currie and A. O. Hirschman to development theories. We show that traditional approaches to the divergence between these authors have overlooked some common views in their development strategies. For both, the catalyst role played by the experts —...

Alexis de Tocqueville, better known for his analysis of the Ancien Régime and democracy, was also politician and congressman. In 1848, before and after the February Revolution, Tocqueville warned in his discourses in the Assembly about the social and political consequences of the social...