Australia’s treasurer, Jim Chalmers is not the only one looking to Mariana Mazzucato for ideas about reforming our global economic system, so is Pope Francis. The pope commends Mazzucato’s thinking for offering a compelling analysis of problems in the global economy and what can be done to build a more sustainable and fairer world. This Read more
When the coronavirus epidemic passes, Americans can’t simply return to their old habits, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has said. “We won’t properly absorb the lessons from the coronavirus crisis if we fall back into the traditional Republican and Democratic model of politics. We need a new vision to create a more resilient economy,” the Florida Read more
Galileo ran afoul of the Inquisition in 1633 when he was found “vehemently suspect of heresy.” His heresy? Declaring the heliocentric view of the solar system: that the earth revolves around the sun. His punishment was lighter than many others who faced the Inquisition. He was “only” sentenced to house arrest until his death in Read more
Wednesday, the Vatican issued a letter, Oeconomicae et Pecuniariae Quaestiones on economic and financial matters. Quite unlike many recent communications on those issues, it was elegantly written – almost a joy to read. It is a serious and constructive contribution to the debate and, in its earlier sections, it is, if not quite original, a vital Read more
The aspect of modern economic thinking I find most depressing is the lack of any emphasis on play or fun or family and friendships. An economic worldview has evolved that sucks the meaningful marrow out of life. The big question we should be asking is whether our economic system is serving us or are most Read more
Ahead of Australia’s federal election, Catholic bishops have spoken out about political decisions that can damage marriage and hurt families. In a statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) released yesterday, the bishops stated that “political decisions” can damage the institution of marriage and hurt families. Australia’s federal election is scheduled for July 2. The Read more
A Democratic contender for the US presidency, Bernie Sanders, is going to the Vatican to speak in a conference on economics. But how this came about has become a point of contention. While the US senator said he accepted a Vatican invitation, one of the conference’s organisers said that his campaign had lobbied for his Read more
The Vatican has invited social activist Naomi Klein to help lead a high level conference on the environment later this week. Ms Klein, who campaigns for an overhaul of the global financial system to tackle climate change, will take centre stage at the conference alongside Cardinal Peter Turkson. The cardinal is president of the Pontifical Read more
“As a Catholic economist, reading this papal drivel masquerading as an encyclical is both embarrassing and infuriating,” says Oliver Hartwich, the executive director of the New Zealand Initiative, a libertarian think tank. He was referring to the the Pope’s encyclical Laudato Si’. “Thank God Catholics are free to disagree with this personal position of the Pope.” Read more
The financial crisis and its aftermath have revealed the dark side of the post-cold war model, but Catholic social teaching proposes correcting the way market forces work so that they serve the public interest. It was 25 years ago this month that communism ceased to be a threat to the west and to the free Read more