Pareto and Socialism

Abstract

So far, we have studied Pareto’s approach to economic problems. In this chapter, we will examine his sociological theories. In doing so, we consider his critique of socialism, ‘critique’ being understood in its etymological sense. This approach is all the more justified in that Pareto coupled his study of sociology with a study of socialism; his Systemes socialistes was in fact the precursor of the Trattato di sociologia generale. In the Systemes one can see the early forms of many concepts which he developed later on.