As the contributors to this symposium show, Pope Francis’s views about the economy, especially about the poor and the rich, are deeply at odds with those of many economists. Several differences involve matters of economic fact and causation—and therefore in principle can be resolved by appeals for everyone to consider the same body of evidence. Although the clash over conflicting values is a chasm far more difficult to bridge, fruitful dialogue is the goal of this symposium.

Robert M. Whaples is a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute and Co-Editor of The Independent Review.
Culture and SocietyEconomic PolicyEconomyFree Market EconomicsPhilosophy and Religion
Other Independent Review articles by Robert M. Whaples
Winter 2024/25 Character in the American Experience: An Unruly People
Winter 2024/25 Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World
Winter 2024/25 Richer and More Equal: A New History of Wealth in the West
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