From Walras's Physics Envy To Winiarski's Mécanique Sociale

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_817126EC842F
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
From Walras's Physics Envy To Winiarski's Mécanique Sociale
Journal
History of Economic Ideas
Author(s)
Allisson François, Mueller Thomas
ISSN
1122-8792 (Print)
1724-2169 (Online)
ISSN-L
1122-8792
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2018
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
XXVI
Number
2
Pages
103-123
Language
english
Abstract
In 1898-1900, Léon Winiarski published his Mécanique sociale as an attempt to extend Walras's general equilibrium theory from the field of economics to the whole spectrum of the social sciences. This was done through an abundant use of analogies, including physical analogies. Given Walras's own physics envy, Winiarski felt encouraged by his elder to pursue his project in this way. This paper asks whether Winiarski's Mécanique sociale was an attempt to seriously take into account Walras's physics envy. To answer this question, we reconsider Winiarski's interpretation of Walras's general equilibrium theory, by focusing on a particular footnote found in Winiarski’s writings.
Keywords
Léon Winiarski, Léon Walras, physics envy, analogies
Create date
21/11/2018 12:11
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:41
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