Michał Kalecki and Challenging the Norms of Capitalist Theory

2023

Michał Kalecki, a Polish Marxian economist born in 1899, made substantial contributions to economic theory and policy during the 20th century. Working across prestigious institutions like the London School of Economics, University of Cambridge, and University of Oxford, he also served as an economic advisor to several governments, including Poland, France, Cuba, Israel, Mexico, and India.

Kalecki's influence on economic thought is often compared to that of John Maynard Keynes, although he remains less known in English-speaking circles. He integrated Marxist class analysis with oligopoly theory, impacting both neo-Marxian and post-Keynesian schools of thought. Utilizing mathematical models and statistical data, he was among the early macroeconomists to apply these tools to economic questions.

Central to Kalecki's theories was the circular flow of income, building on the Physiocrat François Quesnay's principles. He asserted that in a capitalist economy, production and employment are primarily determined by business investment, challenging traditional economic models.

Kalecki's economic views emphasized the role of government intervention and the interaction between the state and private sectors. He argued that prevailing economic growth models overlooked the government sector's significance and the empirical role it played. Kalecki's skepticism extended to the idea that higher wages could lead to fuller employment, challenging conventional economic wisdom.

In his notable 1943 statement, Kalecki highlighted the preference of business leaders for "discipline in the factories" and "political stability" over profits, recognizing unemployment as an integral part of the capitalist system. He contended that capitalists sought to limit government intervention that disrupted laissez-faire conditions, except in the case of armament spending.

Kalecki's monetary theory was rooted in Knut Wicksell's business cycle theory, emphasizing credit as a fundamental component of the capitalist economy. Unlike Keynes, Kalecki saw monetary policy as endogenous to the business cycle, influenced by business investment rather than interest rates.

One of Kalecki's most famous contributions was his profit equation, derived concisely and intuitively. He asserted that profits were equal to the sum of investment and capitalists' consumption, with investment and consumption decisions determining profits.

Kalecki's interest extended to income distribution, where he explored imperfectly competitive markets and oligopolistic conditions. His model suggested that the wage share in national income remained roughly constant over the business cycle, influenced by factors such as the degree of monopoly and the relationship between raw material costs and wages.

In analyzing the business cycle, Kalecki's investment function played a crucial role. He formulated an equation where investment decisions depended on factors like savings, the rate of change of profits, and the stock of fixed capital. The cyclical nature of investment decisions, leading to economic fluctuations, formed a central aspect of Kalecki's economic insights.

Despite Kalecki's considerable theoretical and practical contributions, he remained more practically oriented than academically inclined. His work, rooted in practical experiences including engineering, journalism, and credit investigation, provided a distinctive perspective that challenged established economic doctrines.

In 1970, Michał Kalecki was nominated for the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, a testament to the impact of his theories on the field. His legacy endures as a significant figure in economic thought, challenging conventional wisdom and providing valuable insights into the dynamics of capitalist economies.