This volume investigates the analytical foundations and internal consistency of classical economic theory through the lens of long-period analysis. Heinz D. Kurz and Neri Salvadori, both distinguished scholars in the field of Sraffian economics, synthesize decades of research to re-evaluate the works of Smith, Ricardo, and Marx. The authors argue that the classical approach provides a robust framework for understanding price formation and income distribution, distinct from the marginalist tradition that dominates contemporary neoclassical thought.

Experts recognize this work as a rigorous, high-level contribution to the study of classical economic theory. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which assumes a strong background in mathematical economics and the history of economic thought.