The political representation of children and economic growth

As a contributor to the drafting of a volume dedicated to Campiglio, I have been confronted with the issue of choosing which themes it should address. One option would have been to write an article on a topic of my own interest, but the alternative was to focus instead on a topic close to the heart of the colleague to whom this collection of essays is dedicated. I decided to follow the latter direction, as it also provided the opportunity to reflect on how this colleague with whom I have worked for many years approaches economic studies. The scientific and cultural trajectory of Luigi Campiglio is characterized by being rooted in the problems of the real economy rather than in abstract speculative notions. Unsurprisingly, as has been the case with other distinguished economists in the Catholic University of Milan’s history, Prof. Campiglio enrolled as a student in the evening classes of the Faculty of Economics and Business, and was a successful manager in the private sector before embarking on his academic career. Over the years, his scientific interest focused on poverty, the family, income distribution, the instability of financial markets and economic crises, as well as on economic development. The analysis approach is ultimately always normative: the main interest lies in fact in the search for viable solutions. This mindset has allowed him to take on a notable role in disseminating economic culture via newspapers, conferences and rigorous publications but also saw him appreciated for his dedication by the general public. The idea of creating a volume of essays dedicated to the themes which Luigi Campiglio has been addressing for many years represents both a fitting recognition of his scholarly work and a good editorial idea: the themes in question are of interest to both the scholar and the man on the street.