Maria Ponti Pasolini (1856–1938)

Maria Ponti Pasolini (1856–1938) entrepreneurial heiress, philanthropist and economic writer

https://doi.org/10.1080/09672567.2025.2492318


Elena Laurenzi, Stefania Licini and Manuela Mosca

Abstract
Against the backdrop of the period seen as the golden age in the history of economics in Italy, this work examines the economic thought of Maria Ponti Pasolini (1856–1938) and indicates her relevance to herstory of economics. Firstly, it situates her in the economic history of her family of origin, then it reconstructs her feminist battles and her philanthropic activities, and finally it analyses her economic writings, in the belief that it is only the joint consideration of all these elements that can allow us to fully account for her ideas in the economic sphere.

Keywords: Women Economists; Economic Education; philanthropy; entrepreneuerial family; Italian herstory