Alla ricerca di una migliore teoria macroeconomica (Looking for a better macroeconomic theory)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13133/2037-3643_72.287_6Parole chiave:
capital theory, ceteris paribus clause, innovations, microfoundationsAbstract
Questo articolo sottolinea che un certo numero di elementi costitutivi della moderna macroeconomia e dei risultati che ne derivano non sono sostenibili. Il riferimento è alle presunte “microfondazioni” della teoria e, in particolare, all’uso di funzioni di produzione macroeconomiche e al metodo dell’“agente rappresentativo”. Le “leggi” semplici e apparentemente non invasive della domanda di input e dell’offerta di output non sono sostenibili in generale. I macroeconomisti sono spesso orgogliosi di sviluppare le loro argomentazioni in termini di una versione ridotta della teoria dell'equilibrio generale, ma si comportano come se ignorassero che la stabilità dell’equilibrio economico generale non può essere dimostrata in condizioni sufficientemente generali. Una ulteriore fonte di instabilità del sistema economico è riscontrabile nel carattere dirompente del cambiamento tecnologico.A number of the constituent elements and results of modern macroeconomics are not tenable. We refer to the alleged “microfoundations” of the prevailing theory, to the use of macroeconomic production functions and to the “representative agent” method. The simple and apparently unobtrusive “laws” of input demand and output supply are not valid in general. Macroeconomists often pride themselves of developing their argument in terms of a stripped-down version of general equilibrium theory, but they ignore the fact that the stability of general economic equilibrium cannot be demonstrated under sufficiently general conditions. A further source of instability of the economic system is the disruptive nature of technological change.
JEL codes: D01, D50, E10, E13, E24
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