ABSTRACT
Spiethoff’s cycle theory has generally been interpreted without reference to his epistemological vision. This has led to a number of interpretations that could have been avoided (or, at least, mitigated) if the deep relationship between Spiethoff’s epistemology and methodology and his analysis of the cycle had been reconstructed.
This chapter consists of four sections: in the first one, Spiethoff’s epistemological vision and his concept of Wirtschaftsstil (economic style) will be illustrated; the second section reconstructs the contrast with those theorists (Hayek and Schweitzer) who consider Spiethoff’s cycle theory an eminently historical-descriptive theory; the third section discusses the concept of Musterkreislauf (“kind of ideal cycle”), which plays a decisive role in Spiethoff’s analysis. Finally, his criticism of what he calls “ideal-typical representations” of the cycle will be examined, with particular reference to Schumpeter and Wicksell.
