L'economia del benessere e il problema della fondazione della politica economica in Federico Caffè (Federico Caffè on welfare economics and the dilemma of the scientific foundation of political economy)

Federico Caffè, one of the most important Italian economist in the last century, focused his research program mainly on the scientific foundation of economic policy, and therefore on the analysis the role of the state in the economic system. His contribution can be considered a turning point in the development of economic policy as a scientific discipline in the Italian context. In his vision the roots of economic policy can be traced back in the works of Pigou and Sidgwick. In the analysis of Caffè welfare economics, critically and historically considered, can be used to obtain a sound foundation of the role of the state in the modern capitalistic economies