This paper deals with the debate happened between Say and Sismondi regarding the possibility of a general glut. The first section describes the historical context of the first decades of nineteenth century continental Europe, focusing on the French industrialization experience vis-à-vis the British leadership in this field. Next, a brief intellectual profile of the evolution of Say's thought is made in order to present his vision about the proper working of markets. After that, the historical approach used by Sismondi in his criticism of classical orthodoxy is examined, as well as his own version to the capitalistic system inner tendency towards overproduction. The last two sections retrieve the exchange between Say and Sismondi over their theoretical disagreements on the limits to capital accumulation.
Say; Sismondi; capital accumulation; overproduction; purchasing power