Federico Caffè
Encyclopedia
Federico Caffè was an Italian
economist
.
.
In 1936 he graduated in business sciences at the University of Rome La Sapienza
. He started his career working at the Bank of Italy
, later becoming a teacher at the University of Messina
. From 1959 he taught Economic and Financial Policy at the University of Rome La Sapienza
, forming several generations of economists in what is the largest university in Italy. He has also been the mentor of several generations of Italian economists, many of which got senior positions in academe, in political life and in public administration.
In different capacities he mentored the current Governor of the Bank of Italy
, Professor Mario Draghi
, the economist of welfare Bruno Amoroso
, the labour economist Ezio Tarantelli, killed by Red Brigades
in 1985 in the courtyard of the Faculty of Economics in Rome where they taught, the former President of the Italian Statistical Office Guido M. Rey, the current President of the Italian Statistical Office Enrico Giovannini
, the economist of technical change Daniele Archibugi
.
Caffè was particularly interested in Economic policy
and Welfare, especially in their social dimensions. One of his books, Lezioni di politica economica (Lectures on Economic Policy), is widely regarded as the complete summary of his ideas. He was a strong critic of free trade
, avowedly Keynesian
in inspiration, and also very interested in the Scandinavian welfare model.
On April 15, 1987, Caffè suddenly disappeared, shortly after having quit university teaching. He was "officially declared dead" on October 30, 1998. The mystery involved in his death has not been unveiled. He may have committed suicide, but he may also have decided to disappear in an unknown location.
and the Roskilde University
Centre for Southern European Studies.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
.
Biography
Caffè was born at PescaraPescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
.
In 1936 he graduated in business sciences at the University of Rome La Sapienza
University of Rome La Sapienza
The Sapienza University of Rome, officially Sapienza – Università di Roma, formerly known as Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza", is a coeducational, autonomous state university in Rome, Italy...
. He started his career working at the Bank of Italy
Banca d'Italia
Banca d'Italia is the central bank of Italy and part of the European System of Central Banks. It is located in Palazzo Koch, Roma, via Nazionale...
, later becoming a teacher at the University of Messina
University of Messina
The University of Messina is a public university located in Messina, Italy, and founded in 1548. The university is organized in 11 Faculties.-History:...
. From 1959 he taught Economic and Financial Policy at the University of Rome La Sapienza
University of Rome La Sapienza
The Sapienza University of Rome, officially Sapienza – Università di Roma, formerly known as Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza", is a coeducational, autonomous state university in Rome, Italy...
, forming several generations of economists in what is the largest university in Italy. He has also been the mentor of several generations of Italian economists, many of which got senior positions in academe, in political life and in public administration.
In different capacities he mentored the current Governor of the Bank of Italy
Bank of Italy
Bank of Italy may refer to either :*Banca d'Italia is the central bank of Italy.*Bank of Italy was a bank established in San Francisco, California and the forerunner of Bank of America....
, Professor Mario Draghi
Mario Draghi
Mario Draghi is an Italian banker and economist who succeeded Jean-Claude Trichet as President of the European Central Bank on 1 November 2011...
, the economist of welfare Bruno Amoroso
Bruno Amoroso
Bruno Amoroso is a Danish/Italian economist who writes also for magazines and newspapers.- Career : Bruno Amoroso, Dr. Economics, University La Sapienza, Rome , 1966 under the tutorship of Federico Caffè. 1970-1972 researcher and lecturer at the University of Copenhagen...
, the labour economist Ezio Tarantelli, killed by Red Brigades
Red Brigades
The Red Brigades was a Marxist-Leninist terrorist organisation, based in Italy, which was responsible for numerous violent incidents, assassinations, and robberies during the so-called "Years of Lead"...
in 1985 in the courtyard of the Faculty of Economics in Rome where they taught, the former President of the Italian Statistical Office Guido M. Rey, the current President of the Italian Statistical Office Enrico Giovannini
Enrico Giovannini
Enrico Giovannini is an Italian economist and statistician. Since August 2009 he is President of the Italian Statistical Institute . From January 2001 to July 2009, he was Director of Statistics and Chief Statistician of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development...
, the economist of technical change Daniele Archibugi
Daniele Archibugi
Daniele Archibugi is an Italian economic and political theorist. He works on the economics and policy of innovation and technological change, on the political theory of international relations and on political and technological globalisation....
.
Caffè was particularly interested in Economic policy
Economic policy
Economic policy refers to the actions that governments take in the economic field. It covers the systems for setting interest rates and government budget as well as the labor market, national ownership, and many other areas of government interventions into the economy.Such policies are often...
and Welfare, especially in their social dimensions. One of his books, Lezioni di politica economica (Lectures on Economic Policy), is widely regarded as the complete summary of his ideas. He was a strong critic of free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
, avowedly Keynesian
Keynesian economics
Keynesian economics is a school of macroeconomic thought based on the ideas of 20th-century English economist John Maynard Keynes.Keynesian economics argues that private sector decisions sometimes lead to inefficient macroeconomic outcomes and, therefore, advocates active policy responses by the...
in inspiration, and also very interested in the Scandinavian welfare model.
On April 15, 1987, Caffè suddenly disappeared, shortly after having quit university teaching. He was "officially declared dead" on October 30, 1998. The mystery involved in his death has not been unveiled. He may have committed suicide, but he may also have decided to disappear in an unknown location.
Memorials
Several institutions have been named after him, including the Faculty of Economics of the Third University of RomeThird University of Rome
The University of Rome III also known as Roma Tre University is a public research university in the city of Rome, in the Lazio region of central Italy...
and the Roskilde University
Roskilde University
Roskilde University is a Danish public university founded in 1972 and located in Trekroner in the Eastern part of Roskilde. The university awards bachelor and master's degrees as well as Ph.D...
Centre for Southern European Studies.
Sources
- Daniele ArchibugiDaniele ArchibugiDaniele Archibugi is an Italian economic and political theorist. He works on the economics and policy of innovation and technological change, on the political theory of international relations and on political and technological globalisation....
, Federico Caffè, solitario maestro, Micromega, n. 2, (1991) - Ermanno Rea, L'ultima lezione, Einaudi, Turin (1992)
- Riccardo Faucci, "L'economia per frammenti di Federico Caffè", Rivista italiana degli economisti, n. 3 (2002)
- Bruno AmorosoBruno AmorosoBruno Amoroso is a Danish/Italian economist who writes also for magazines and newspapers.- Career : Bruno Amoroso, Dr. Economics, University La Sapienza, Rome , 1966 under the tutorship of Federico Caffè. 1970-1972 researcher and lecturer at the University of Copenhagen...
, La stanza rossa - Riflessioni scandinave di Federico Caffè, Edizioni Città Aperta, Troina (Enna), (2004) - Giuseppe Amari (editor), Federico Caffè: un economista per il nostro tempo, Roma, Ediesse, 2009. ISBN 9788823012981
External links
- Profile of Federico Caffè at the Department of Public Economics of Sapienza University of Rome http://srv-bibcaffe.eco.uniroma1.it/DipEcoPubEng/FcProfiloE.aspx
- A biography of Federico Caffè (from the Roskilde University website)