Bridging Capitalisms

This article investigates the intellectual dialogue between James M. Buchanan and Francesco Forte, two key figures who shaped the economic thinking of Ronald Reagan and Bettino Craxi. Drawing on archival materials from the U.S. and Italy, it traces how constitutional economics and the Italian tradition of Scienza delle finanze converged to produce a case of ideological hybridization. Their transatlantic exchange—embedded in institutional reform projects—offers new insights into Cold War capitalism and a novel contribution to the New History of Capitalism by highlighting the role of transnational intellectual exchanges in reshaping economic governance.