A “frenetic intemperance” is destabilizing our economy. It is a restless, explosive and relentless drive inside man. It seeks to throw off all legitimate restraints and gratify all disordered passions. The Troubles We Now Face Because of “frenetic intemperance,” our economy is coming apart under crushing debt obligations: personal, corporate, state and local government, out-of-control federal … Read more
With the dramatic rise of bitcoin, many are talking about this crypto-currency as the new money of the future. Such a simplification is understandable, since the matter of money is complex. Not all that glitters is gold. Likewise, what appears to be money often is not. Free Book: Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy … Read more
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
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
I had just bought a pair of shoes at a large shoe outlet and within six months the heels were completely worn down. I lost the receipt and probably would have had a little trouble getting a new pair. So I decided to visit the local cobbler with the shoes and a piece of leather … Read more
Niall Ferguson’s The Great Degeneration: How Institutions Decay and Economies Die is intriguing since the title reflects what should be an obvious connection: Social institutions do affect economies. The noted British historian’s latest book is a compelling demonstration of his thesis. He lays out all the symptoms caused by decaying institutions: slowing growth, crushing debts, … Read more
“The science of economics is concerned with the question of valuation that arises from the use of scarce means for the attainment of alternative ends.” Is Technology Ruining Your Life? Take A Quick Quiz To Find Out By Clicking Here. “These ends the economist takes as final data, facts of human choice or preference. He … Read more
Written by Matthew Miller* There are many who believe that an economic crash worse than 2008 is on its way. Read the popular article: We Must Resist the Temptation to Secession In a video episode of Return to Order Insights, author John Horvat comments on the coming economic crisis based on a report by HSBC … Read more
Contrary to the popular myth, the science of economics was not invented by Adam Smith. We can find the early foundations of economics in the writings of medieval figures like Saint Bernardine, Saint Antoninus, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and other early Scholastics. Read the popular article: We Must Resist the Temptation to Secession They prepared the … Read more
With literally trillions of dollars in personal debt now hanging over the American consumer, the question might be asked as to where all this debt came from. It has a long history. Buying on credit started at the turn of the twentieth century. Buying dreams on credit was an American invention that served to create … Read more
