Ethical Dimensions of the Economy - Making Use of Hegel and the Concepts of Public and Merit Goods

Overview This book is a philosophical reflection (using mainly Hegel, in addition to 1 Adam Smith, Kant, Marx and Catholic Social Thought) about the soc- political dimension of economics. In it I both agree and disagree with the slogan that "the least government is the best government. " I agree with the slogan, in particular as it applies to the economic domain. Adam Smith taught us that rational and self-interested individuals, left by themselves, create a more efficient and reliable economic system than one in which the government has a heavy role as was the case in his time with the merc- tile system (Smith, 14, 651). Ludwig von Mises demonstrated the same idea for the communist command economy (Hayek 1935, 87-130). I d- agree with the above mentioned slogan if it is interpreted as suggesting that we can best forget about the role of the government for a good functioning economy. Instead, I will argue that the government has an important fu- tion in creating the proper regulations and the wise institutional arran- ments which will allow the economy to flourish in a more efficient, fair and humane way. This book is interdisciplinary in nature. It is a philosophical and ethical reflection on economics. Hence, I make use of philosophical ideas, often but not exclusively those of Hegel. I reflect philosophically on economic concepts.

List of contents

Normative Reflections on the Economy.- The Interconnection of Moral and Economic Theory.- Economics and Politics in the Architectonic of Hegel's Thought.- The Ethical Function of the Economy.- The Economic Order: A Human, Not a Natural Institution.- The Concept of "Merit Good" and the History of Economic Thought.- Objecting to a Libertarian Attack on Governmental Functions in the Economy: The Concept of "Public Good".- Applications.- Structural Deficiencies in the American System.- Unjust Redistribution in the American System.- The Role of Religion and Civil Society in a Transformed Command Economy.- Overlapping Ideas: Catholic Social Thought and Recent Nobel Laureates in Economics.- Conclusion.

Summary

Overview This book is a philosophical reflection (using mainly Hegel, in addition to 1 Adam Smith, Kant, Marx and Catholic Social Thought) about the soc- political dimension of economics. In it I both agree and disagree with the slogan that “the least government is the best government. ” I agree with the slogan, in particular as it applies to the economic domain. Adam Smith taught us that rational and self-interested individuals, left by themselves, create a more efficient and reliable economic system than one in which the government has a heavy role as was the case in his time with the merc- tile system (Smith, 14, 651). Ludwig von Mises demonstrated the same idea for the communist command economy (Hayek 1935, 87–130). I d- agree with the above mentioned slogan if it is interpreted as suggesting that we can best forget about the role of the government for a good functioning economy. Instead, I will argue that the government has an important fu- tion in creating the proper regulations and the wise institutional arran- ments which will allow the economy to flourish in a more efficient, fair and humane way. This book is interdisciplinary in nature. It is a philosophical and ethical reflection on economics. Hence, I make use of philosophical ideas, often but not exclusively those of Hegel. I reflect philosophically on economic concepts.

Additional text

From the reviews:

"This book draws heavily on Hegel to outline ethical dimensions of the economy. … The book would be most worthwhile for readers who are interested an argument that Hegel’s ideas are consistent with standard public goods theory, and with Musgrave’s concept of merit goods. … the book may be more appealing to philosophers who are interested in building a bridge between economics and philosophy to consider the role of government in the economy." (Randall G. Holcombe, Public Choice, Vol. 138, 2009)

“This book is a philosophical and ethical reflection on economics. … each chapter is preceded by an orienting abstract that points out the major argument that the chapter develops. … an excellent reading for faculty discussion groups bringing together the social sciences and the humanities.” (John Donovan, The Reviews of Metaphysics, Vol. LXIII (2), December, 2009)

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From the reviews:

"This book draws heavily on Hegel to outline ethical dimensions of the economy. ... The book would be most worthwhile for readers who are interested an argument that Hegel's ideas are consistent with standard public goods theory, and with Musgrave's concept of merit goods. ... the book may be more appealing to philosophers who are interested in building a bridge between economics and philosophy to consider the role of government in the economy." (Randall G. Holcombe, Public Choice, Vol. 138, 2009)
"This book is a philosophical and ethical reflection on economics. ... each chapter is preceded by an orienting abstract that points out the major argument that the chapter develops. ... an excellent reading for faculty discussion groups bringing together the social sciences and the humanities." (John Donovan, The Reviews of Metaphysics, Vol. LXIII (2), December, 2009)

Product details

• Authors: Wilfried Ver Eecke
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 19.02.2009
• EAN: 9783540771104
• ISBN: 978-3-540-77110-4
• No. of pages: 304
• Dimensions: 161 mm x 23 mm x 243 mm
• Weight: 626 g
• Illustrations: XIV, 304 p.
• Series: Ethical Economy; Studies in Economic Ethics and Philosophy; Ethical Economy; Studies in Economic Ethics and Philosophy
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Economics