Jesus as Economist
Jesus as Economist is a book by George Bernard Shaw that explores the economic teachings of Jesus Christ and how they can be applied to modern society. The book argues that Jesus was a radical economist who challenged the status quo and advocated for a more equitable distribution of wealth. It also examines the role of money in Christianity and how it has been used to exploit people throughout history. Overall, the book provides a thought-provoking analysis of economic issues from a religious perspective.
By George Bernard Shaw · First published 1932 · Genre: Political Economy, Philosophy, Religious Commentary · 349 words
First lines
It seems therefore that we must begin by holding the right to an income as sacred and equal, just as we now begin by holding the right to life as sacred and equal. Indeed the one right is only a restatement of the other. To hang me for cutting a dock laborer's throat after making much of me for leaving him to starve when I do not happen to have a ship for him to unload is idiotic; for as he does far less mischief with his throat cut than when he is starving, a rational society would esteem the cutthroat more highly than the capitalist. The thing has become so obvious, and the evil so unendurable, that if our attempt at civilization is not to perish like all the previous ones, we shall have to organize our society in such a way as to be able to say to every person in the land, "Take no thought, saying What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
What this Textopian page supports
Jesus as Economist is listed on Textopian as an essay by George Bernard Shaw, dated 1932 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: George Bernard Shaw
- Date: 1932 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Political Economy, Philosophy, Religious Commentary, Social Criticism, Satire
- Length: 349 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Political Economy — The text discusses economic principles and societal organization, focusing on income equality and the critique of capitalism.
- Philosophy — The work explores philosophical ideas about rights, society, and morality, particularly in relation to economic systems.
- Religious Commentary — The text interprets and applies religious teachings, specifically those of Jesus, to economic and societal issues.
- Social Criticism — The work critiques contemporary societal values and behaviors, particularly the commercialization of society.
Tags
economics · religion · Christianity · philosophy · social justice · morality · ethics · capitalism · socialism · theology · political theory · humanism