Throughout American history, two sides, two economic outlooks, two lifestyles have long opposed each other as if engaged in constant combat. On the one side, there is the rule of money with a set of secular values, which include quantity, function, efficiency, and utility. This rule tends to reduce everything to terms of self-interest, matter, … Read more
“The depth of knowledge and originality of Horvat’s analysis, plus the scope and inspiration of his vision for a true solution to our current economic crisis, make Return to Order worthy of becoming the bedside book for those who believe America is worth fighting for.” Joseph M. Scheidler National Director, Pro-Life Action League Free Book: … Read more
Speaking with a friend recently, we chanced to talk about money and coins. He is a coin collector and had just visited a coin shop nearby. I mentioned my own studies of medieval economy and its coinage. Much to my surprise and delight, he reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a gros … Read more
The American obsession for buying on credit has long been embedded in the national culture. However, many people do not realize just how far back such consumer practices go. Already at the turn of the twentieth century, Americans were acquiring a buy-now, pay-later mentality. Marketing professor James A. Roberts reports that over the period 1898-1916, … Read more
On May 1, Return to Order author John Horvat II gave the final weekly seminar for seventy graduating business and accounting students at Benedictine University in Atchison, Kansas. The topic of the talk was “Return to Order: A Distinctly Catholic View of Contemporary Economics.” He discussed the current economic, moral and existential crisis and presented solutions from … Read more
The problem is that when we are faced with too many choices in modern markets, there is a cost of having choice overload. This can lead to bad decisions, anxiety, stress and dissatisfaction – even clinical depression. Free Book: Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We’ve Been, How We Got … Read more
When introducing the book, Return to Order, I present the picture of a “party” economy that is frenzied and out of balance. One of the questions I am often asked later is: What can we do to fight the present disorder? People want to know what concrete steps they can take right now. They want … Read more
There are those who think that if we put our economy back on track, everything will be all right. Material prosperity is their sole solution. They speak of happiness as if it can be expressed in terms of GDP, government statistics and employment benefits. We certainly do need material prosperity but such a vision is … Read more
The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most memorable and moving of all Our Lord Jesus Christ’s parables. Many who cannot name all Ten Commandments can nevertheless give a rough outline of the story. It has been widely represented in Christian art since the Middle Ages, and even today is often referenced … Read more
Many wonder how an economic system can survive without a massive interest bearing credit to facilitate trade and liquidity. Historian Fernand Braudel provides an interesting description of an interest-free flexible system in eighteenth century Europe. He writes: Free Book: Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society—Where We’ve Been, How We Got … Read more
