Following Foucault's analysis of German Neoliberalism (Ordoliberalism) and his thesis of ambiguity, this paper introduces a two-level distinction between individual and regulatory ethics. In particular, its aim is to reassess the importance of individual ethics in the conceptual framework of...

2008/9 sees the 60th anniversary of the German economic and currency reform of June 20, 1948, and the adoption of the Grundgesetz on May 23, 1949, which committed the country to the ideals of a socially committed market economy. Both of these events are important points along the path taken by...

The aim of the following paper is to examine the complementarities (and divergences) between the Paleoliberal Adam Smith and the Ordoliberal Walter Eucken. Following the hypothesis that Smith is among the forerunners and predecessors of Ordoliberalism and Social Market Economy, we try to provide...

The paper presents a renewed Habermasian view on transnational multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) and assesses the institutional characteristics of the Equator Principles Association (EPA) from a deliberative democracy perspective. Habermas' work has been widely adopted in the academic...

Climate change is not only one of the major (economic-)ethical issues of the 21st century; it is also an existential threat for many populations around the world. Yet, climate action and politics – both at the individual, corporate, and government levels – are oftentimes considered to be...

The paper discusses the relevance and ethical responsibilities of banks and other financial institutions in the context of climate change mitigation (and adaptation). It does so by analysing the status quo (i.e., business link between banks and the fossil fuel industry) – as well as the latest...

The Equator Principles are a transnational corporate social responsibility initiative in the project finance sector. In 2013, the Equator Principles Association celebrated the tenth anniversary of its principles and at the same time the formal launch of the latest generation of the Equator...

The Equator Principles (EPs) are a voluntary and self-regulatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative in the field of project finance. The EPs provide a number of principles to businesses to reduce the negative impacts of lending practices linked to environment-damaging projects. The...

The following article is guided by two main research questions: First, do the Equator Principles (EPs), a voluntary CSR-initiative in the project finance sector, and the recently published working paper of the Thun Group of Banks adequately address the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and...

The ‘societal crisis of the present' (Gesellschaftskrisis der Gegenwart) is defined by the German neoliberals Eucken, Röpke and Rüstow as a state of ‘massification' (Vermassung), proletarianization and disintegration – accompanied by a far-reaching moral decadence, an ethical nihilism...