A note on the problem of the naturalness of the economic in Labriola, Croce, and Gentile

Abstract

This paper explores the theoretical relationship between the natural and economic spheres in the philosophies of Antonio Labriola, Benedetto Croce, and Giovanni Gentile. Moving beyond a historical-reconstructive approach, the analysis examines how Labriola’s historical materialism redefines the naturalization of history through productive forces, influencing the foundational economic categories of Actualism and Absolute Historicism. The essay posits that Croce’s concept of the "Useful-Vital" and Gentile’s view of the sub-human character of the economic reflect the socio-economic transformations of early 20th-century capitalism. Ultimately, it shows how these philosophical interpretations of economic naturalness provided theoretical backing for their respective political stances—Croce’s liberalism and Gentile’s fascist corporatism—offering a critical historical-materialist perspective on both thinkers.

Labriola; Croce; Gentile; Philosophy of Economy; Fascism.