Poverty

Globalization: From a Christian Perspective, The Worldwide Driver of Innovation and Mass Prosperity

Globalisation is being attacked – from the left as well as from the right. But it is indispensable for overcoming poverty, as Philip Booth showed at the Austrian Academy 2020.

Has Liberalism Failed? Patrick Deneen’s Populist Anti-Liberalism: A Catholic Classical Liberal’s Response

In his book “Why Liberalism Failed” Patrick Deneen deals with all varieties of Liberalism. They are the fruit of a false image of man – an assertion which, however, proves to be questionable on closer inspection.

Has Liberalism Failed? A Response to Patrick Deneen (Short Version)

Has liberalism become a victim of its own success? A short version of the review and critique of Patrick Deneen’s book “Why Liberalism Failed.”

Racism: On the Bad and “Good” Kinds of Prejudicial Suspicion

For the guardians of political correctness, prejudicial suspicion is not bad in itself, so long as it is directed against the right groups. Moreover, the current hysteria about racism obscures the real problems—creating an obstacle for those who actually want to help.

The Bolivian Fairy Tale – The Illusory Success of “21st Century Socialism”

For years Bolivia was considered a successful example of the “Socialism of the 21st century”. An apparently booming economy blinded economists and politicians and obscured the view of a regime that was in reality authoritarian and corrupt.

Is the Pope Calling for a Universal Basic Income?

Pope Francis never called for a “universal basic income” as a new socio-political model. He asked for financial assistance for those on the margins who have been harmed by the quarantine. Even so, the idea of a “basic income” is only feasible, if at all, in a country with strong protection of property rights and a market economy.

The Rich – A Personally Unknown and Hated Minority

The Germans and the French are more likely than the English or Americans to envy rich people for their wealth. Moreover, social envy nurtures a scapegoat mentality and anti-capitalist thinking. This is confirmed by a recent study.

Capitalism is Good for the Poor – and for the Environment

The wealth-creating dynamic of capitalism remains widely misunderstood. Few know that it is also the solution to our environmental problems. The imbalance of capitalism today, on the other hand, is caused by politics.

The Entrepreneur’s Responsibility Is to Succeed as an Entrepreneur

From a “man of the church” one usually expects (besides friendly praise for the work of the entrepreneur) the admonition that entrepreneurs should not merely strive for profit, but always

The Labor of Capital: How Wealth is Created

The Catholic Church’s mistrust of free entrepreneurship is an old phenomenon. At its origin is the idea of antagonism between “Labor and Capital”, rooted in the influence of Marxist doctrine. It is time to leave this misleading dichotomy behind.

Commodity Speculation: Does it Harm the Poor?

Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato si’” and other Vatican documents have criticized speculation in food markets for being damaging to the interests of the poor. There is, however, no evidence for this. In fact, the opposite is likely to be the case.

Does Capitalism Cause Poverty?

Capitalism gets blamed for many things nowadays: poverty, inequality, unemployment, even global warming. As Pope Francis said in a recent speech in Bolivia: “This system is by now intolerable: farm