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Petre COMŞA
Universitatea “Valahia” din Târgovişte
Costea MUNTEANU
Academia de Studii Economice din Bucureşti
From the perspective of the interdisciplinary dialogue engaged in this analysis, the question arises whether Orthodox (Patristic) Theology has or has not something relevant to say about a major polemical debate (which operates both from the inside and the outside of economics): the link between ethics and capitalism. In search of an answer, the paper starts from the argument that, at present, there are two opposite perspective on the relationship between ethics and capitalism, namely: on the one hand, it is the interpretation offered by the neoclassical school of economic thought (mainstream economics) and, on the other hand, it is the interpretation offered by the Austrian School of economic praxeology (libertarian economics). The paper focuses on presenting the main assertions made by the latter, which insists on the need of a well-defined distinction between legal, ethical and moral levels of inquiry. It is argued that in the centre of the libertarian discourse is the understanding of the capitalist system as naturally impregnated by ethical values. Accordingly, the economic system based on free market institution represents the ethical capitalism per se. The paper further argues that the present-day realities show that the main factor fuelling non-ethical economic behaviour is the government intervention. In such circumstances, the basic requirement for a functional ethical capitalism is minimizing the state intervention. However, the historical facts reveal a perennial people’s preference for the state, and not the free market. The last section of the paper offers possible explanations for this perennial preference for a non-ethical capitalism. Accordingly, the analysis focuses on three areas of investigation: the social ontology, the human psychology, and finally – as an illustration of how economics and religion can engage in a fruitful interdisciplinary dialogue – the Orthodox theology.

ŒCONOMICA no. 4/2013
Keywords: economic ethics, natural law, institutionalized aggression, non-aggression, private property rights, interdisciplinary dialogue, religious economics, the teaching of the Holy Fathers of Eastern Tradition
JEL: B13, B50, P14, Z12, Z18
Ethics and Capitalism. An Interdisciplinary Interpretation [Etică şi capitalism. O interpretare interdisciplinară]