Several economists, throughout the history of economic thought, have pondered over the question, not at all trivial, of whether Economics is a science, a technique or an art. To be exact León Walras outlines it in his "Elements of Pure Political Economy." In short, he distinguishes between natural and human phenomenon. The origin of the former is in the game of the forces of nature that are blind and unavoidable. Together with those forces, a self conscious and independent force exists in the universe: the human will. The human will is usually aware of its acts and it can act in many ways. "The fact that the human will is cognitive and free divides all the beings of the universe into two large groups: people and things. All beings that do not attain self-knowledge and self-control are things. All beings that attain self knowledge and self control are people." The Economy and economic activity in general endeavour to use things to serve people and I believe that activity to be closer to art than to science and technique.

If I had to choose an artistic epoch for the Economy, I would incline towards a new Renaissance. As opposed to the centripetal and occlusive character of the former epoch I believe that factors are appearing that stamp an open and centrifuge dynamic on the enriching exchanges for all participants. This extraordinary dynamism that also took place in the Italian Renaissance, implies a multiple generation of new energy and knowledge. After a great digression of decadence in all orders, a new world has arisen to be explored with optimism. Different world news, also in the economic environment, predicts a return to anthropomorphism through which man, when recognizing his full individuality, enters in possession of his creative energy.

Humanism is presented as the intellectual cohesive movement of this whole new Renaissance, which is contained in the motto of Petrarch: Man is the measurement of all things. Faced with futile reveries, rates and symbols that proliferate, the already obsolete communities and the seemingly protective States, the objective of humanist thought is to reabsorb the philosophical, moral, artistic and scientific contents where he finds the foundation of his own aspirations. Human freedom, will and dignity become the most reflected on and determinant themes. If the Economy and modern managerial science do not come closer to this paradigm, I personally believe that they will fail.

Joseph John Franch Menéu
Mediterranean
Professor of Political Economy
Autonomous University of Madrid