Opposing Views: OPINION:Are Christianity and Capitalism Compatible?

Are Christianity and Capitalism Compatible?

By Heritage Foundation , Leadership for America - October 06, 2009

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by Alli Mealy

Last week the American Enterprise Institute hosted Jay W. Richards, visiting Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and author of the new book Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism is the Solution and Not the Problem. The conversation focused on why capitalism and Christianity are compatible.

Highlighting three of the eight myths surrounding capitalism he makes in his book, Richards explained the “Piety Myth”, which he defines as well-intended people ignoring unintended consequences when searching for a quick fix solution to an economic or social problem. An example of this is the United States enforcing western-style laws outlawing child labor on developing countries where children may work in less-than-ideal circumstances, but are actually safer than alternative work environment. The laws protecting children in developed countries fit their situation, but have proven to have negative consequences in other places.

Richards also explained the “Greed Myth”–that the essence of capitalism is inherently greedy. Adam Smith, who was a moral philosopher, shows through his works that self-interest is not selfishness. In order for an individual to make money and provide for his family, one must first consider the needs of his neighbor.

The last chapter highlighted was the “Zero-Sum Myth.” which stipulates that some people only get richer if others become poorer. Richards showed that this is not the case, though, that capitalism is a positive sum-game because both parties are winners. The one who does not necessarily “win” can still improve her condition, therefore benefiting.

Richards, in his brief but thorough explanation of why Christians can be capitalists, showed that this idea is not rocket science. However, it does take the intellectual fortitude and patience to think through an economic problem and respond in the best interest of everyone involved.

Alli Mealy currently is a member of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation. Her views do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please visit: http://www.heritage.org/about/departments/ylp.cfm

Regarding Article

OPINION:Are Christianity and Capitalism Compatible?

Silly Debate

Christianity doesn't prohibit capitalism, the argument is rather silly and doesn't even deserve an engagement. Being rationally self-interested in yourself and family doesn't prohibit you from helping others and being selfless and it especially doesn't prohibit you from believing in a deity or Jesus as the son of god .

I'm not sure what that book is for anyway. Appealing to the overwhelmingly insignificant few who oppose a capitalist-driven market? Guess you have to convince those few thousand people, for some reason.

- caelum October 6, 2009 1:49PM

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- Write a book
  
  Write a book to make money .Some one will buy this book.
  Jesus is lord!And capitalism is great!
  
  - countryboy October 6, 2009 5:06PM
  
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- I couldn't have said it any better.
  
  I'd be hard pressed to have said it as well as you did.
  
  - SolarSanitizer October 6, 2009 9:37PM
  
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Keep your politics away from the Church

Of course Christianity and capitalism are compatible. In fact, they fit hand in glove, which helps explain why capitalism developed to its modern form in Christendom and nowhere else.

Socialism and Christianity are a difficult fit at best, however, as was demonstrated in the nascent Church (e.g. Matthew 19 v 16-26, Acts 5 v 1-10). Socialism cannot cure materialism while being inherently susceptible to abuse by the greedy. Even worse, socialism inevitably leads the state to (attempt to) become all things to all people, thereby crowding the Church out of civil society .

Nevertheless beware: The Church must be the Church, and her mission is not political. To the extent that various political ideologies divide Christians and hinder them from working together towards Christ’s purposes within framework of his Church, we must confine them to the political realm. In other words, keep your politics away from the Church. This goes for left and right alike.

- Lavaux October 8, 2009 6:56AM

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Both

Obviously, since the United States has managed to win the race to monolithic superpower status, and it is largely Christian and in some ways to some degrees capitalist, these two are compatible.

Of course, the Bible, particularly Jesus, is very critical of wealth and being wealthy. And capitalism is in part based on the fatalist view that you pretty much have to pay people to get anything or get anything done.

Still, this book is obviously a pandering and puerile treatment of the subject. The OP feels the need to go back the Smith for a moral principle in captialism, and just assumes that any concerned party thinks Christianity is moral.

Economists and Mathematicians have consistently demonstrated that wealth is not created by capitalism. It's created by research, engineering, and labor . And equilibrium is the most you can hope for if you have any population growth; but achieving it is nearly impossible in our system, while its the defining goal in socialism. This is why 95% of America's wealth is controlled by 1% of the population. It's why the dollar has lost 94-97% of it's value in a century.

This elementary treatment of village market capitalism is not even close to what is going on today in the US and around the world. We should not even call it capitalism.

Christianity seems compatible with just about anything. Besides the near infinite extrapolations and interpolations in the dogma, history shows myriad variety of institutions Christianity has bedfellowed, from insane despots, to continent wide terrorism , to purveying disease, assimilation, and destruction throughout the New World and Pacific islands, to the Third Riech, the Reformation, the Queen's own Church, and let's not forget the fan favorite - burning witches at the stake. What is Christianity not compatiable with? Hell some Christians even believe in evolution , current cosmological theory, and a slew of other ideas contrary to the good book.

Anyway, it seems clear no economic system yet employed actually appeals to the bests interests of everyone nor succesfully mitigates the self interests that fowl up social and capital economics.

It might have been cool to actually try capitalism in the US, but I think we're beyond help now.

- Submariner October 8, 2009 11:16PM

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