ABSTRACT
In Romance economics, there has never been a controversy between inductive and deductive methods such as was known in Germany toward the end of the last century. This can only in part be explained by the fact that scientific interests are different and that, as far as pure theory is concerned, discussions are conducted in a more quiet and friendly tone. The real reason is that the influence of the historical school, which is of German origin, was unable to displace the classical tradition in France or in Italy. The small number of adherents of the historical attitude were aware of their weakness and wisely refrained from attacking the dominant classical method too openly. Consequently they also remained aloof when at the end of last century the abstract-deductive method underwent a renovation, which partly transformed it into a mathematical one.
