Vecchio, Gustavo del (1883–1972)

Abstract

Del Vecchio was born at Lugo in Romagna on 22 June 1883, and died in Rome on 6 September 1972. He initially attended the university in Rome, where he followed the history of philosophy course under Antonio Labriola. He continued his studies in Bologna, where he was greatly influenced by the teaching of Tullio Martello, follower of Francesco Ferrara’s work. His postgraduate studies, which were completed in Berlin, gave Del Vecchio’s entire work a wide cultural outlook, influenced by historical, philosophical and sociological factors, as well as purely economic considerations. He became Professor of Political Economy at the Universities of Trieste and Bologna, and Professor of Public Finance at the University of Rome. He lectured at the Bocconi University of Milan, where he was Chancellor from 1934 to 1938. During this last year he was forced to give up his teaching because of the anti-semitic measures adopted by the Fascist government. He went into exile in Switzerland in the latter years of World War II, and on his return to Italy started teaching once again. He was Minister of the Treasury from 1947 to 1950, but these public duties represented only a brief intermission in his life as a dedicated academic.