Religion & Liberty Online

Acton Line podcast: Rev. Robert Sirico responds to Marco Rubio’s ‘common good capitalism’

Sen. Marco Rubio’s recent proposals for ‘common good capitalism’ have sparked much criticism and praise. Rubio draws heavily from Catholic Social Teaching in his defense of common good capitalism, describing an ideal economy for the common good characterized by dignified work and stability for working families. On November 5, Rubio addressed students at the Catholic University of America, saying “[c]ommon good capitalism is about a vibrant and growing free market, but it is also about harnessing and channeling that growth for the benefit of our country, our people and our society at large.” How does Rubio propose that we harness this growth and should Catholic Social Teaching be used as a guidebook for policy makers? Acton’s co-founder and president Rev. Robert Sirico explains.

Check out additional resources for this episode:

Read: “What economics is for,” by Marco Rubio

Read: “Rubio’s soft corporatism won’t help workers,” by Sam Gregg

Read: “Marco Rubio’s half-baked political philosophy,” by Kevin Williamson

Read: “The common good or capitalism?” by John Gehring

“Marco Rubio promotes ‘common-good capitalism’ at Catholic University,”by Ryan Di Corpo

Papal Economics: The Catholic Church on Democratic Capitalism, from Rerum Novarum to Caritas in Veritate

Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy

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Caroline Roberts

Caroline Roberts is a managing editor at the Acton Institute and produces Acton's weekly podcast, Acton Line.