Chippola Karlo

He studied at the university in his native city, where he first studied political science and then history and philosophy, and where he received his first academic degree in 1944. After the war, he continued his education in economics at the Sorbonne and the London School of Economics. He taught at Italian universities from 1948 and became a professor in 1960. He was a Fulbright scholar in 1953. From 1959 to 1992 he worked at the University of California, Berkeley, where he later became professor emeritus of economics.

He was the author of more than 20 books translated into at least 15 languages.

He had a wide range of scholarly interests, including public health. In his works he examined the issue of the progress of the West—from the end of antiquity to the present day—winning recognition for this work. He also addressed demography.

In 1976, in The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity, Cipolla proposed a now well-known two-dimensional diagram characterizing the behavior of individuals in society (see [4]).

He was a member of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain. Member of the American Philosophical Society (1981).

He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Accademia dei Lincei. Corresponding member of the British Academy (1989).

Recipient of the President of the Republic of Italy Prize.

He was also honored with other awards and distinctions. Honorary Doctor of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (1980). At the university in his native city, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Medicine degree in 1992.