We cannot understand today the extraordinary success that the capitalist market has had over the past three decades unless we pay close attention to its primary mechanism: the destruction of free non-market goods. These goods are increasingly replaced by merchandise, which try to compensate for...

Introduction. At the beginning ... -- The Economy and the Civilization of Monasticism -- Francesco's Economy -- Some MiddleAge issues -- Luther, the Reformation and the Modern Spirit of Capitalism -- Jansenism and anthropological pessimism in the birth of Political Economy -- The Economic Spirit...

A discussion of the anthropological roots of the market, tracing its development using the history of ideas and cultures as well as simple game theory. In his analysis of market ethics Bruni calls for a reconsideration of some of the central tenets of modern political economy, and the need for a...