Alfred Marshall and François Perroux: the neglected liaison

The richness François Perroux’s economic theories have allowed the literature to highlight several connections between him and other authors. Among the names mentioned in the literature, one economist is conspicuous by his absence: Alfred Marshall. However, the relations between Marshall and Perroux are manifold and are far from accidental: not only because Perroux was a careful reader of Marshall but also and moreover because they both have an important common ground, which affected their perspectives. The main aim of this paper is to inquire into the aspects that characterise Marshall’s and Perroux’s approaches, stressing their affinities and underlining their common roots.