Economics, social justice and the common good: Roman-Catholic perspectives

Purpose - Aims to discuss whether Roman Catholicism can legitimately lay claim to a distinctive brand of Economics, as well as to concepts of Social Justice and the Common Good. Design/methodology/approach - A conceptual approach is taken. Findings - To what traditionally has been packaged under the rubric of "Social Catholicism" the author has assigned the alias "Roman-Catholic Social Economy(ics)". This has the effect of rechristening and casting in English dress what emerged unequivocally (and parochially) as Economie politique chretienne in a realm of thought and language where the adjective "Christian" was virtually synonymous with Franco-Roman-Catholic, and the (ideological/praxeological) theses assailed lay across the channel in Smithian political economy and British industrial society. The formal, official definition of "Social Justice" is enunciated in nothing less than a papal Encyclical Letter. Forms and formulations of "Social Lutheranism" there are, but a tradition thereof remains to establish itself. The R-C concept of social justice is defined in terms of the Common Good, which inextricable bond is well-documented and elaborated. Originality/value - Contributes to the literature on Roman-Catholic perspectives on economics and social justice.