Italian austerity economists held an elitist, quasi-religious view of their discipline.
Evidence
All four of austerity’s Italian economists shared this intellectually elitist position, not to mention a tendency toward selfadulation. It was a set of conceits expressed through Ricci’s religious metaphor, by which the “contemplation” of “the divine science” of economics is “the privilege of the few” and “does not always appear as beautiful, true and good to the profane public” (Ricci 1926, 72). — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1112
Categorization
- XREF: The ‘divine science of the few’ framing resonates with the Platonic philosopher-king tradition and with technocratic governance critiques (e.g., Rancière on the ‘ignorant master’). — connects to: Economic theory reinforced the Italian austerity economists’ classist worldview — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 1162; Italian economists blamed poverty on working-class moral defects rather than economic causes — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 1141; Fascist Italy gave economists the rare chance to enforce their models on society — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 1303
Broader Connections
- Economic theory reinforced the Italian austerity economists’ classist worldview
#expands(0.85) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1162 - Italian economists blamed poverty on working-class moral defects rather than economic causes
#exemplifies(0.80) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1141 - Fascist Italy gave economists the rare chance to enforce their models on society
#expands(0.78) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1303