Towards a New Understanding of Sraffa : Insights From Archival Research

Towards a New Understanding of Sraffa examines the legacy of Piero Sraffa by approaching his ideas in a new light, thanks to the insights gained from the opening of the archive collection of his papers at the Wren Library (Trinity College, Cambridge, UK). It provides a refreshing perspective into Sraffa's approach to money, the role of equilibrium and of the surplus in economic theory. The study is backed by previously unpublished, original, archival material. It provides an appraisal of the discontinuities in the path leading to the publication in 1960 of __Production of Commodities by Means of Commodities__ since its conception in the late 1920s. It unlocks significant new perspectives about the connection of Sraffa to Marx regarding Standard commodity, the macro-social and monetary theory of exploitation, the tendency of the rate of profit to fall, and the transformation of values into prices of production. It also offers insights on how Sraffa dealt with money in the various phases of his thinking, and explores his ideas about the role of equilibrium and of the surplus in economic theory. It concludes with an account of some recent Sraffa scholarship and points towards future research avenues. Towards A New Understanding Of Sraffa Examines The Legacy Of Piero Sraffa By Approaching His Ideas In A New Light, Thanks To The Insights Gained From The Opening Of The Archive Collection Of His Papers At The Wren Library (trinity College, Cambridge, Uk). It Provides A Refreshing Perspective Into Sraffa's Approach To Money, The Role Of Equilibrium And Of The Surplus In Economic Theory. The Study Is Backed By Previously Unpublished, Original, Archival Material. It Provides An Appraisal Of The Discontinuities In The Path Leading To The Publication In 1960 Of Production Of Commodities By Means Of Commodities Since Its Conception In The Late 1920s. It Unlocks Significant New Perspectives About The Connection Of Sraffa To Marx Regarding Standard Commodity, The Macro-social And Monetary Theory Of Exploitation, The Tendency Of The Rate Of Profit To Fall, And The Transformation Of Values Into Prices Of Production. It Also Offers Insights On How Sraffa Dealt With Money In The Various Phases Of His Thinking, And Explores His Ideas About The Role Of Equilibrium And Of The Surplus In Economic Theory. It Concludes With An Account Of Some Recent Sraffa Scholarship And Points Towards Future Research Avenues. 1. Introduction; Riccardo Bellofiore And Scott Carter -- 2. Surprise In The Archive: Reactions To Sraffa's Papers; Jonathan Smith -- Part I -- 3. On The Neoricardian Criticism Of Irrelevance; Dario Preti -- 4. Sraffa And The Standard Commodity; Scott Carter -- Comment On Preti And Carter; Pier Luigi Porta -- Response To Porta; Scott Carter -- Part Ii -- 5. A New Perspective On Sraffa; Ajit Sinha -- 6. The Standard System And The Tendency Of The (maximum) Rate Of Profit To Fall : Marx And Sraffa: There And Back; Stefano Perri -- Comment On Sinha And Perri: Hamlet Without The Prince: Sraffa (and Marx) Without Competition; Andrea Salanti -- A Response To The Comments By Professor Salanti; Ajit Sinha -- A Note On Professor Salanti's Comments; Stefano Perri -- Part Iii -- 7. The Essentiality Of Money In The Sraffa Papers; Ghislain Deleplace -- 8. The Positive Surplus Hypothesis: Social Versus Physical Objectivity; Jean Cartelier -- On Surplus And Money In Sraffa: A Comment On Cartelier And Deleplace; Gugliemlo Chiodi -- 9. The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Thinker: Sraffa, Marx, And The Critique Of Economic Theory; Riccardo Bellofiore. Edited By Riccardo Bellofiore And Scott Carter. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction....Pages 1-8 Surprise in the Archive: Reactions to Sraffa’s Papers....Pages 9-21 Front Matter....Pages 23-23 On the Neoricardian Criticism of Irrelevance....Pages 25-46 Sraffa and the Standard Commodity....Pages 47-78 Front Matter....Pages 79-79 A New Perspective on Sraffa....Pages 81-93 The Standard System and the Tendency of the (Maximum) Rate of Profit to Fall — Marx and Sraffa: There and Back....Pages 94-136 Front Matter....Pages 137-137 The Essentiality of Money in the Sraffa Papers....Pages 139-166 The Positive Surplus Hypothesis: Social versus Physical Objectivity....Pages 167-197 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Thinker: Sraffa, Marx, and the Critique of Economic Theory....Pages 198-240 Back Matter....Pages 241-257 This book provides fresh insights on Piero Sraffa's work, by examining previously unpublished papers from Sraffa archives. It offers new perspectives on the connection between Sraffa amd Marx, and examines Sraffa's approach to money, the role of equilibrium and of the surplus in economic theory.