Albert O. Hirschman (1915-2012), is recognized as one of the most well-rounded and interdisciplinary social scientists of the postwar era. After fleeing Germany as a young opponent to the Nazi regime, he moved across countries, languages, and disciplinary boundaries. He was a pioneer of...

1. Introduction -- 2. The Major Contributions -- 3. The First Phase: Thoughts on Socialist Development in a Backward Overpopulated Economy -- 4. The Second Phase: a 'Starry-Eyed Joan Robinson' -- 5. The Third Phase: Self-Criticism -- 6. Conclusion.