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The energy and ecological economic theory of Slavcho Zagorov (1898 – 1970)

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  • Nona Nenovska
  • Nikolay Nenovsky
  • Eric Magnin

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present the pioneering works in the field of environmental and energy economics by the Bulgarian economist Slavcho Zagorov (1898–1970) during the early 1950s, when Zagorov was in emigration. Zagorov is known to the Bulgarian reader as an economist and policy maker in the years between the two world wars. It is little known, however, that Zagorov was one of the first (his publications chronologically predate those of Nicolas Georgescu Roegen by about a decade) to present the concept of energy flow in the economy and human metabolism, explained through the prism of thermodynamics. Criticizing the traditional economic approach to national income from the point of view of "value", Zagorov developed a new energetic approach to national income and productivity. According to him, national income is a "movement of energy", which he calculates in terms of primary energy sources. The Bulgarian economist conducted a number of empirical studies on energy balances in the Danube Region, including in Bulgaria.

Suggested Citation

  • Nona Nenovska & Nikolay Nenovsky & Eric Magnin, 2023. "The energy and ecological economic theory of Slavcho Zagorov (1898 – 1970)," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 1, pages 7-38.
    • Handle: RePEc:bas:econth:y:2023:i:1:p:7-38
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mayumi, Kozo, 1995. "Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen (1906-1994): An admirable epistemologist," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 261-265, August.
    2. Martinez-Alier, J., 1997. "Some issues in agrarian and ecological economics, in memory of Georgescu-Roegen," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 225-238, September.
    3. S. D. Zagoroff, 1934. "The External Depreciation of the Dollar and its Effect Upon the Price Level in the United States," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 42(5), pages 641-641.
    4. S. Sagoroff, 1961. "Historical note on the application of mathematics in economics in Germany," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 78-81, December.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • B30 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - General
    • N01 - Economic History - - General - - - Development of the Discipline: Historiographical; Sources and Methods
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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