Achille Loria
Encyclopedia
Achille Loria was an Italian political economist.
He was educated at the lyceum
of his native city and the universities of Bologna
, Pavia
, Rome
, Berlin
, and London
and graduated at the University of Bologna
(1877). He became professor
of political economy in the University of Siena
in 1881; and he held a similar appointment in the University of Padua
(1891–1903), and University of Torino (1903–1932). He was elected to the Accademia dei Licei (1901) and appointed to the Italian Senate in 1919. His work draws on a wide range of predecessors: Karl Marx
, Charles Spencer
, Charles Darwin
, Adolf Wagner
and Luigi Cossa
, who was his teacher. With this background and on the basis of research on landholding in the British Museum he developed an original deterministic theory of economic development. It is based on the premise that the relative scarcity of land leads to the subjugation of some members of society by others, a mechanism that works differently in different stages of development. This concept was developed in a large number of books, many of which were translated into foreign languages. They had an impact on writers like Charles A. Beard
and indirectly influenced their interpretation of American history. Achille Loria is also seen as a forerunner of socio-legal studies (see International Institute for the Sociology of Law
).
Loria was one of the earliest critics of Marx's ideas, and as such his views were ridiculed by Engels. An original conception of Loria was his idea that glue spread on the wings of aircraft would be able to trap birds in such quantities that it would solve the world food problem.
He was educated at the lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
of his native city and the universities of Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and graduated at the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
(1877). He became professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of political economy in the University of Siena
University of Siena
The University of Siena in Siena, Tuscany is one of the oldest and first publicly funded universities in Italy. Originally called Studium Senese, the University of Siena was founded in 1240. The University has around 20,000 students, nearly half of Siena's total population of around 54,000...
in 1881; and he held a similar appointment in the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
(1891–1903), and University of Torino (1903–1932). He was elected to the Accademia dei Licei (1901) and appointed to the Italian Senate in 1919. His work draws on a wide range of predecessors: Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
, Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer
Charles J. Spencer, Jr. is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, Adolf Wagner
Adolf Wagner
Adolf Wagner was a German soldier and high-ranking Nazi Party official born in Algrange, Alsace-Lorraine.He served in World War I as an officer in the German Army...
and Luigi Cossa
Luigi Cossa
Luigi Cossa , Italian economist, was born at Milan.Educated at the universities of Pavia, Vienna and Leipzig, he was appointed professor of political economy at Pavia in 1858....
, who was his teacher. With this background and on the basis of research on landholding in the British Museum he developed an original deterministic theory of economic development. It is based on the premise that the relative scarcity of land leads to the subjugation of some members of society by others, a mechanism that works differently in different stages of development. This concept was developed in a large number of books, many of which were translated into foreign languages. They had an impact on writers like Charles A. Beard
Charles A. Beard
Charles Austin Beard was, with Frederick Jackson Turner, one of the most influential American historians of the first half of the 20th century. He published hundreds of monographs, textbooks and interpretive studies in both history and political science...
and indirectly influenced their interpretation of American history. Achille Loria is also seen as a forerunner of socio-legal studies (see International Institute for the Sociology of Law
International Institute for the Sociology of Law
The International Institute for the Sociology of Law in Oñati is the only international establishment which is entirely devoted to teaching and promoting the sociology of law, socio-legal studies, and law and society research....
).
Loria was one of the earliest critics of Marx's ideas, and as such his views were ridiculed by Engels. An original conception of Loria was his idea that glue spread on the wings of aircraft would be able to trap birds in such quantities that it would solve the world food problem.
English language bibliography
- Achille Loria, The Economic Foundations of Society, London: Sonnenschein 1904.
- Achille Loria, Contemporary Social Problems, London: Sonnenschein 1911
- Achille Loria, The Economic Synthesis: A Study of the Laws of Income, London: Allen and Unwin 1914
- Lee Benson, Turner and Beard: American Historical Writing Reconsidered. Glencoe, Ill.: Free Press 1950 (see pages 2–40 on "Achille Loria's influence on American Economic thought").
- Shepard B. Clough, "Loria, Achille". In: International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, vol. 9/10, New York 1972, pp. 474–475.