The Genesis of the 'Austrian' Label: Carl Menger's Thought

Ce papier soutient que lindiscipline paradigmatique qui caracterise leconomie Autrichienne contemporaine pourrait etre effacee si les economistes Autrichiens prenaient en consideration lunite doctrinale de Carl Menger dans son essai de construire une theorie subjectiviste des institutions. Construite sur une ontologie et une epistemologie aristotelicienne assortie d une methodologie subjectiviste, lanalyse mengerienne des institutions economiques est le point culminant de sa pensee. Ne cherchant ni lequilibration, ni la coordination, limage mengerienne de leconomie est celle de relations complexes qui emergent au travers de sequences infinies de processus dechange. Larticle conclut en suggerant que le progres soit reconnu comme la norme par les economistes Autrichiens.This paper argues that the paradigmatic indiscipline that characterizes contemporary Austrian Economics can be smoothed out if Austrian economists appreciate the doctrinal unity of Carl Mengers attempt to construct a subjectivist theory of institutions. Building on an Aristotelian ontology and epistemology coupled with a subjectivist methodology, Mengers analysis of economic institutions is the culminating point of his thought. Neither equilibrating, nor coordinating, Mengers image of the economy is that of complex relationships emerging through unending sequences of exchange processes. The paper concludes by suggesting that progress be acknowledged as the norm by Austrian economists.