Three in One: Essays on Democratic Capitalism, 1976-2000

by Michael Novak former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Commission, 1994 Templeton, Edward W. Younkins (Editor)

Overview

Throughout his many writings, Michael Novak, one of the leading Catholic social theorists of our times, has urged us to adopt a tripartite system of democratic capitalism including a market economy, a democratic polity, and a moral-cultural system that would nourish the values and virtues on which free societies depend. Three in One introduces the reader to Novak's portrait of democratic capitalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742511712
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	04/11/2001
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Michael Novak holds the George Frederick Jewett Chair in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., where he is also the director of social and political studies. He is the author of more than twenty five books on philosophy, religion, politics, economics, and culture. Edward W. Younkins is professor in the Department of Business and Technology at Wheeling Jesuit University and the founder of the University's degree program in political and economic philosophy.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction: Michael Novak's Contribution's to Political and Economic Thought Part 2 The Idea of Democratic Capitalism Chapter 3 A Closet Capitalist Confesses Chapter 4 The Closet Socialists Chapter 5 An Underpraised and Undervalued System Chapter 6 On the Governability of Democracies: The Economic System Chapter 7 The Vision of Democratic Capitalism Chapter 8 The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism Part 9 Free Persons, True Communities, and the Common Good Chapter 10 Mediating Institutions: The Communitarian Individual in America Chapter 11 Free Persons and the Common Good Chapter 12 The Future of Civil Society Chapter 13 The Judeo-Christian Foundation of Human Dignity, Personal Liberty, and the Concept of the Person Chapter 14 Hayek: Practitioner of Social Justice Part 15 Economics, Religion, and Morality Chapter 16 Theologians and Economists: The Next Twenty Years Chapter 17 Economic Rights: The Servile State Chapter 18 Political Economy and Christian Conscience Chapter 19 Political Economy in Our Time Chapter 20 The Great Convergence Chapter 21 How Christianity Changed Political Economy Chapter 22 Economics as Humanism Part 23 The Nature and Responsibilities of Business and the Corporation Chapter 24 A Challenge to Business Chapter 25 Business, Faith, and the Family Chapter 26 Two Moral Ideals for Business Chapter 27 Seven Plus Seven: The Responsibilities of Business Corporations Chapter 28 Is Business a Calling? Chapter 29 Executives Must Be Allowed to Execute Part 30 The International Scene Chapter 31 The Age of Enterprise: How Small Business Became the World's Biggest Business Chapter 32 The International Vocation of American Business Chapter 33 The Silent Artillery of Communism Chapter 34 Solidarity in a Time of Globalization Part 35 An Autobiographical Afterword Chapter 36 Controversial Engagements Chapter 37 Appendix: A Reader's Guide to Michael Novak's Works on Democratic Capitalism

Editorial Reviews

This collection of essays brings together for the first time all the many essays and op-ed pieces in which Novak developed and extended his basic argument. Recommended for public and academic library collections, lower-division undergraduate through faculty.

Choice Reviews

Mr. Novak deserves credit for alerting us to what I call 'America's Other Democracy'—a giant endless plebiscite in which consumers vote not every other year but daily, frequently, directly, scrupulously, a democracy disciplining producers everywhere to toe the mark, a democracy meriting the observation of Milton Friedman bearing on the state that nobody spends other people's money as carefully as he spends his own. Ludwig Mises called the process 'consumer sovereignty.' Michael Novak, a man who makes you think, calls it, simply, 'democratic capitalism.'
— William H. Peterson

The Washington Times

Mr. Novak deserves credit for alerting us to what I call 'America's Other Democracy'—a giant endless plebiscite in which consumers vote not every other year but daily, frequently, directly, scrupulously, a democracy disciplining producers everywhere to toe the mark, a democracy meriting the observation of Milton Friedman bearing on the state that nobody spends other people's money as carefully as he spends his own. Ludwig Mises called the process 'consumer sovereignty.' Michael Novak, a man who makes you think, calls it, simply, 'democratic capitalism.'
— William H. Peterson

Washington Times

This collection of essays brings together for the first time all the many essays and op-ed pieces in which Novak developed and extended his basic argument. Recommended for public and academic library collections, lower-division undergraduate through faculty.

Choice

Michael Novak foregoes any illusion that the models of 'political economy' will ever 'measure up to the height and depth of the Kingdom of God.' But political economy was understood in the beginning to encompass moral philosophy, and in the hands of a master, questions of right and wrong will soon lead outward, to reflection about the divine origin of human things. Novak puts his own accent on the 'incarnational dimension' in theology: The most prosaic parts of life may be touched by a divine grace in ways often 'hidden like the workings of yeast.' Making a living, supporting a family, sustaining workers and clients in a market-they may all require love and art and devotions that are enduring. But to put them together in a compelling way requires the learning of a theologian, joined with the wit and savvy of an accomplished writer. This is vintage Michael Novak, as only he can write it.

Hadley Arkes

Mr. Novak deserves credit for alerting us to what I call 'America's Other Democracy'—a giant endless plebiscite in which consumers vote not every other year but daily, frequently, directly, scrupulously, a democracy disciplining producers everywhere to toe the mark, a democracy meriting the observation of Milton Friedman bearing on the state that nobody spends other people's money as carefully as he spends his own. Ludwig Mises called the process 'consumer sovereignty.' Michael Novak, a man who makes you think, calls it, simply, 'democratic capitalism.'

The Washington Times - William H. Peterson

Three In One is a fascinating collection of essays on the centrality of faith and culture in our economic life. Michael Novak is an authentic compassionate conservative. He is a passionate, though not uncritical, champion of democratic capitalism. These essays are not only profound, they also are fun.

Albert Hunt

Novak (social and political studies, American Enterprise Institute) explicates the perspective of compassionate conservatism. These 29 essays discuss democracy, capitalism, and morality, of course, but also some unlikely topics for a conservative. Among these are the relation between freedom and community, the responsibility of businesses, and solidarity during the process of globalization. An autobiographical essay is also included. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This collection of essays brings together for the first time all the many essays and op-ed pieces in which Novak developed and extended his basic argument. Recommended for public and academic library collections, lower-division undergraduate through faculty.

CHOICE