ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with De Vivo's contention, echoed by Gilibert (2003), that with the systems of equations Sraffa began to elaborate from November 1927 he started from Marx's scheme of simple reproduction. De Vivo observes that 'Marx explicitly assumes that commodities exchange at their 'values' (embodied labours) or they may add simply embodied labours'. Apparently, De Vivo is himself not sure about whether this is correct, because after having stated his interpretation he quickly adds two different ones, which are not compatible with the former. It shows that important elements of De Vivo's reconstruction cannot be sustained. Hence another reconstruction is not only possible, but necessary, in order to arrive at a less unsatisfactory view of Sraffa's path to his book. He concludes by drawing the attention to a discussion Sraffa had with his colleague and friend Frank Plumpton Ramsey about his equations: De Vivo's think, however, that this hermeneutic problem should not detain labours too much.
