O lugar da economia política no pensamento de Léon Walras

Abstract

This dissertation proposes an examination of the theoretical project of political economist Léon Walras in its entirety, extending beyond the general equilibrium theory for which Walras' thought is often summarized. To undertake this approach, both a historical study and a careful analysis of Walrasian works are utilized. The historical study aims to identify the social conditions in the environment where Walras was raised and developed as a theorist, focusing on the political and socioeconomic situation of France and Europe in the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as his intellectual influences. The analysis of Walrasian works is conducted under the hypothesis that a coherent system traverses these works. Walras' theoretical project for political and social economy can be synthesized into what is known as the “Walrasian triad”, which divides the field into three branches: pure political economy, social economy, and applied political economy, each addressing different aspects of economic life. This study includes analyzing the main work dedicated to each branch: Elements of Pure Political Economy, Studies in Social Economics, and Studies in Applied Political Economy. In the final chapter, the dissertation proposes an identification and interpretation of this possible system, pointing to its real historical purpose: the legitimization and naturalization of the free competition regime through a process of depoliticization of political economy, which signifies its end, alongside the development of a new discipline, economics.