Italian Economists of the Interwar Period: Academic, Political and Professional Biographies

Abstract

This chapter analyses primary sources such as the yearbooks of the Ministry of Education and those of single Italian universities, as well as various biographical repertoires in order to provide a synthetic overview of the profiles of the protagonists of our narration: the economists. Its core is represented by a synoptic table which provides data about the personal identity of the main economists mentioned in the book, with their fields of study, academic affiliation and teaching periods, main affiliations to academies and scientific associations, and political and public offices, both at national and international level. An interesting feature of the table consists of an attempt to classify the relationships between the economists and the fascist regime, whether they implied some type of official collaboration or on the contrary political opposition, which systematically led to expulsion from academia and to exile. It also records the cases of those who were marginalised after 1938 as a consequence of the racial laws. Finally, for each economist it provides essential references for further inquiry.

In collaboration with Chiara Bechelli, Elisa Cacelli, Daniela Giaconi and Raffaella Sprugnoli.