Cambio, acción humana y desarrollo en Albert O. Hirschman: reflexiones económico-filosóficas a sesenta años de 'The Strategy of Economic Development'

Abstract

Albert O. Hirschman (1915-2012) has been one of the most ingenious and original social scientists in the study of causes and consequences, obstacles and advantages, marches and counter-marches, of and toward progress in underdeveloped countries. This paper has two main objectives. On the one hand, to show the fertility of the Hirschmanian manner of understanding and responding to various economic problems. On the other, to propose as a key to reading for his work the reflections on the interaction between the understanding of human action and social change through an analysis of the so-called “trilogy of development”, starting from The Strategy of Economic Development (1958). Through this argumentation, it will be suggested that the comprehensive reading of Hirschman’s work could be revalued and serve as inspiration to address current issues for both the economy and the other social sciences.