Ateneo - UPO

The course is organized in two parts: the first (in the first semester) provides a systematic introduction to the institutions and dynamics of capitalism up to its most recent developments ("financialization" and crisis, "digital capitalism"). In the second part, some developments will be reviewed and explored through the critical lens of "Foundamental Economy".

Part 1:
• G. Ingham (2010), Capitalismo, Einaudi, Torino.
• P. Bowles (2009), Il capitalismo, Il Mulino, Bologna.

Part 2:
• J. Dagnes e A, Salento (a cura di), Prima i fondamentali. L’economia della vita quotidiana tra profitto e benessere, Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, Milano.
Link: https://fondazionefeltrinelli.it/schede/prima-i-fondamentali/

• Texts and supplementary materials available on the DIR page of the course.

Basic but systematic knowledge of the logic of the functioning, the interdependences and the power relations of capitalism.

See “Guida dello studente”.

Lectures, seminars.

Teaching tools:
- slides
- video
- supplementary materials.

Written exam. The exam lasting 90 minutes will be aimed at verifying, through five questions and discursive answers, the student's ability to understand the central issues of the course.
Evaluation criteria:
- knowledge of exam texts
- mastering of language and terminology.
In the evaluation, the ability to make conceptual connections across the exam texts is appreciated.

First part:
1. Theoretical analysis of capitalism (synthesis of A. Smith, Marx, Weber, Schumpeter, Minsky e Keynes);
2. Basic institutions of capitalism:
- money
- market
- enterprise
- financial and capital markets
- state.
3. Variations over time and space.

Second part (in-depth analysis):
4. “Digital capitalism”
5. The boundaries of the market: the Foundational Economy.

Basic but systematic knowledge of the logic of the functioning, the interdependences and the power relations of capitalism.