Theory and politics in Antonio de Viti de Marco: public finance courses and political battles in the late 19th century

This article examines the relationship between theory, teaching, and political engagement in Antonio de Viti de Marco during the late 19th century. The article examines his distinction between the monopolistic and the cooperative or democratic state. It then compares it with Herbert Spencer's distinction between military and industrial societies, showing both the affinities and the limits of the British philosopher's influence on de Viti de Marco. The article then reconstructs how de Viti de Marco's theoretical framework was translated into concrete fiscal and economic proposals regarding indirect taxation on basic consumption, minimum income protection, and customs policy. Finally, it shows how these ideas informed his campaigns in the Giornale degli Economisti during the Italian fin de si & egrave;cle crisis. De Viti de Marco interpreted the crisis as the outcome of a monopolistic, class-based state, in which taxation, protectionism, public expenditure, and restrictions on civil liberties served narrow interests rather than the general interest. The article argues that his political commitment aimed at defending free trade, fiscal justice, and civil liberties can only be fully understood in light of the evolution of the state's tasks outlined in his studies of public finance.