L’Europa, l’economia politica e la sua storia

This paper, inspired from the entry into force of the European Monetary Union, is a reflection on the issue of Europe, political economy and its history. Are recalled a few highlights of economic history and the history of political economy, which coincide with periods of major transformation of the economies of the Western countries and, in particular, Europe. The analysis of the history of economics and the political economists with particular regard to innovation and technological change has allowed us to trace an evolutionary path of the European economy from an agricultural system that turns into an industrial society first and then becomes post-industrial. Finally, from the analysis of the path that led to the definition of the economic and institutional the single currency, What emerges is a positive assessment. But this is subject to some important conditionality regarding the capacity of the future monetary union to meet the real needs of both economic and social rights of citizens of the countries that participate in this challenging project