The principle of benevolence is at the root of Martin Luther's (1483-1546) thinking on society, the economy, and business ethics. Luther was the forerunner of the moral economy. He saw the necessity of strong public authorities, which should take into account the public interest, leading to a...

Natural law and the Age of Reason -- Human nature and the dignity of the human person -- The classical school of economics and the birth of capitalism -- The romantic and socialist reactions to the Industrial Revolution -- Neoclassicism, the Keynesian revolution, and other sources of dissent --...