A economia clássica entre o laissez-faire e o socialismo[The classical economics between laissez-faire and socialism]

This paper goes through the main classical authors’ positions on the virtues and the limitations of both competition and socialism. The first section retrieves the evolution of socialistic ideas in England until the first half of the nineteenth century, highlighting Owen’s thesis. After that, Smith, Bentham, James Mill and Ricardo’s comments on the equality of incomes, the worker’s condition and private property are presented. The third section rescues some elements in Stuart Mill’s early intellectual formation along with his debate with Thompson over the cooperative system in the London based owenite society. The fourth section covers others influences on Stuart Mill’s social thought, as well as his more moderate reflections on the possible points of conflict or convergence between socialism and individual liberty. Then, some final remarks are made.