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Gattopardo economics: the crisis and the mainstream response of change that keeps things the same

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  • Thomas I. Palley

    (Associate of the New America Foundation's economic growth program)

Abstract

Gattopardo constitutes change that keeps things the same. Gattopardo is relevant for understanding the economics profession's response to the financial crash of 2008. This paper explores gattopardo economics as it applies to the issues of the macroeconomics of income distribution; the global financial imbalances; and inflation policy. Gattopardo economics adopts ideas developed by critics of mainstream economics, but it does so in a way that ignores the thrust of the original critique and leaves mainstream analysis unchanged. Gattopardo economics makes change more difficult because it deceives people into thinking change has taken place. By masquerading as change, it crowds-out space for real change. That makes exposing gattopardo economics a matter of vital importance.

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  • Thomas I. Palley, 2013. "Gattopardo economics: the crisis and the mainstream response of change that keeps things the same," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 10(2), pages 193-206.
    • Handle: RePEc:elg:ejeepi:v:10:y:2013:i:2:p193-206
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    Cited by:

    1. Arne Heise, 2014. "The Future of Economics in a Lakatos–Bourdieu Framework," International Journal of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(3), pages 70-93, July.
    2. Roos, Michael W. M., 2015. "The macroeconomics of radical uncertainty," Ruhr Economic Papers 592, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    3. Eckhard Hein, 2017. "Post-Keynesian macroeconomics since the mid 1990s: main developments," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 14(2), pages 131-172, September.
    4. Wolfram Elsner, 2013. "State and future of the ‘citadel’ and of the heterodoxies in economics: challenges and dangers, convergences and cooperation," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 10(3), pages 286—298-2, December.
    5. Modenesi, Rui Lyrio & Modenesi, André de Melo & Martins, Norberto Montani & Fontaine, Patrick, 2015. "Restructuring the Economic Policy Framework in Brazil: Genuine or Gattopardo change?," Revue de la Régulation - Capitalisme, institutions, pouvoirs, Association Recherche et Régulation, vol. 17.
    6. Lavoie, Marc, 2015. "¿Debería la economía heterodoxa ser enseñada en departamentos de economía, o existe algún espacio para la economía backwater?," Estudios Nueva Economía, Estudios Nueva Economía, vol. 5(2), pages 4-16.
    7. Thomas I. Palley, 2013. "Gattopardo economics: the crisis and the mainstream response of change that keeps things the same," European Journal of Economics and Economic Policies: Intervention, Edward Elgar Publishing, vol. 10(2), pages 193-206.
    8. Jo Michell, 2014. "Factors generating and transmitting the financial crisis; Functional distribution of income," Working papers wpaper41, Financialisation, Economy, Society & Sustainable Development (FESSUD) Project.
    9. Guizzo, Danielle & Strachman, Eduardo & Dalto, Fabiano & Feijo, Carmem, 2018. "Financialisation and Development: how can emerging economies catch up?," MPRA Paper 87076, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Thomas I. Palley, 2015. "Inequality, the Financial Crisis and Stagnation: Competing Stories and Why They Matter," IMK Working Paper 151-2015, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    11. Marchionatti, Roberto & Sella, Lisa, 2015. "Is Neo-Walrasian Macroeconomics a Dead End?," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 201521, University of Turin.
    12. Michael Keaney, 2024. "Book Review: Capital Wars: The Rise of Global Liquidity," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 152-156, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gattopardo economics; income distribution; global financial imbalances; inflation policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A11 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Role of Economics; Role of Economists
    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • E00 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - General

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