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Sub-title: Why Capitalism is the Solution and not the Problem: Harper
One, N.Y., 2009, 255 pgs., notes, appendix, paperback
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Reviewer comments:
The author has a similar voew to that of Rodney Stark in his two books on
Christianity and capitalism. But with a more focus on the Christianity side and
explicit objective of proving the thesis in the sub-title. The chapter titles
tell the story.
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Introduction: Can a Christian Be a Capitalist?
In the introduction Richards merges the attackes on capitalism into 8 myths. 1
- The Nirvana Myth that compars the real world with a perfect utopia - 2 The
Piety myth that isbased on good intentions and ignores the real consequences -
3 The Zero -Sum game myth that claims the economy is a fixed pie and all gains
in it come from losses by others. - 4 The Materialist Myth that is similar in
that it claims that wealth is not created but only transfered - 5 The Greed
Myth that equates capitalism with greed - igniring that there was just as much
and more greed in pre-capitalist societies and that capitaslism has seen huge
increases in charity. 6 The Usury Myth that claims that charging interest is
immoral and a fundamental feature of capitalism - 7 The Artsy Myh that claims
that capitalism is responsible for lower cultural conditions - and 8 the Freeze
Frame Myth that maintains that conditions will remain the same..
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Chapter 1 - Can't We Build a Just Society?
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Chapter 2 - What Would Jesus Do?
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Chapter 3 - Doesn't Capitalism Foster unfair Competition?
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Chapter 4 - If I Become Rich, Won't Someone Else Become poor?
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Chapter 5 - Isn't Capitalism Based on Greed?
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Chapter 6 - Hasn't Christianity Always Opposed Capitalism?
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Chapter 7 - Doesn't Capitalism Lead to an Ugly Consumerist Culture?
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Chapter 8 - Are We Going to Use Up all the Resources?
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Conclusion
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