Alberto Alesina (1957-2020): Man, Researcher, Professor of Economics, Popularizer

Andrea Vindigni
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Andrea Vindigni: DISPI, Department of Political Sciences, University of Genova, Italy

Economia Internazionale / International Economics, 2025, vol. 78, issue 2, 209-246

Abstract: This paper offers a short summary of the scientific work of Alberto Alesina. The fundamental contribution of this scholar has been the creation and development of modern political economy, since the first half of eighties. In this paper, I have initially tried to explain what political economy is about, and what today is meant by political economy. I have then focused the attention on one of Alesina’s most important contribution: his 1994 article with Dani Rodrik un distributive politics and economics growth. Thereby, I have briefly illustrated some contributions of other scholars influenced by the aforementioned work, as well as some other articles of Alesina himself. Among the latter ones, I have focused the attention in particular on his contributions to the theory of “fiscal austerity” and to the economic role of “culture” broadly speaking. Alberto Alesina (1957-2020): uomo, ricercatore, Professore di economia, divulgatore Questo paper offre una breve sintesi del lavoro scientifico di Alberto Alesina. Il contributo fondamentale di quest’ultimo è stato la creazione e lo sviluppo della moderna political economy a partire dalla metà degli anni ottanta. In questo lavoro inizialmente ho cercato di spiegare di che cosa la political economy si occupa e che cosa si intende oggigiorno per political economy. Mi sono focalizzato, quindi, su di uno dei contributi più importanti di Alesina: il suo articolo del 1994 con Dani Rodrik su politica ridistributiva e crescita economica. Quindi, ho brevemente illustrato alcuni contributi di altri studiosi influenzati da detto lavoro, nonché da altri articoli di Alesina medesimo. Tra questi ultimi mi sono soffermato in particolare sui suoi contributi alla teoria dell’“austerità fiscale” ed al ruolo economico della “cultura” in senso lato.

Keywords: Political Economy; Government; Public Debt; Inequality; Economic Growth; Redistribution; Culture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O11 O43 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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