Maurice Halbwachs : A Swansong for Durkheimian Economic Sociology

Philippe STEINER

Summary :
This article examines Maurice Halbwachs’ contribution to durkheimian economic sociology between the wars. He brought no new critical insights into the orthodox economic position and was content merely to reiterate Simiand’s ideas. Besides, an examination of the reviews he wrote during this period either on Keynes’s General Theory or on works of mathematical economics prove that Halbwachs was unable to fit these new developments into his sociological approach to economics. Nevertheless, Halbwachs does show some originality in his interpretations of Weber and Pareto, and his ideas lead a greater consideration being given to questions of motive and to a sociology of economics.

Key words : Sociology, Economics, Halbwachs, Keynes , Weber, Pareto
Philippe.steiner@dauphine.fr