Description
Book SynopsisAs western economies have moved from feudalism to industrialism to the information age, Catholic social thought has kept pace, responding to the economic realities of the day. Linking Catholic social teaching with modern economic theory, Albino F. Barrera examines the changing political economy embedded within the moral theology and social justice documents issued by the Church during the last hundred years.
Barrera discusses the evolution of Catholic social teachings, from scholastic thinking on the concept of the just price to a modern emphasis on the importance of a living wage. As the conduct of economic life according to traditional custom and common law has given way to institutional and impersonal market forces, these teachings have moved from a preoccupation with personal moral behavior to an intense scrutiny of the structures of society. Amidst these changes, the Church''s social documents have sought to address systemic shortcomings as a means of promoting the common
Trade Review
A praiseworthy volume... in his search for intelligible patterns in the economic ethic of official Catholic social documents, Barrera's work is most original, quite balanced and well researched. Theological Studies A distinctive contribution of moral theology to the analysis and discussion of differing views of justice relevant to the social and economic order. a bravo perfomance . Forum for Social Economics Effectively combines the insights of economics and moral theology...a significant book. Horizons An interesting and provocative introduction to the literature, which...has had...significant influence in the formulation and execution of economic policy. It will be especially valuable to Catholic economists and other social scientists (as well as theologians) seeking to understand and improve the economic reasoning behind Catholic social teaching. Faith & Economics One should be able to see from this review that Modern Catholic Social Documents is a thought-provoking book, one to be taken seriously and one that raises many issues that Catholic scholars need to address. Recensioni
Table of Contents
Preface Abbreviations Part I The Economics of the Modern Tradition Balancing Competing Labor-Management ClaimsAgriculture and the Import-Substitution StrategyDevelopment and Solidaristic Egalitarianism Part II Retrospective: Evolution from Scholastic Economic ThoughtExchange-Value Determination: From Scholastic Just Price to the Modern Living WageFrom Organic Hierarchy to Individual Rights Part III Contrast with Normative Mainstream Economic ThoughtAnthropological Presuppositions in Economic ThoughtFelicific Calculus and Transcendent EndTwofold Objectives Part IV Postindustrial Social Questions: Participative EgalitarianismMarket-Driven Redistribution of Burdens and BenefitsThe Universal Access Principle: Its Evolution and Role in a Knowledge-Based EconomySuperfluous Income Criterion Refined Part V Conceptual Synthesis First-Order PrinciplesSecond-Order PrinciplesThe Common Good as Due Order and Due Proportion Appendix The Economics of Quadragesimo Anno's Vocational Groupings ReferencesIndex
