The Pope and the Austrian School

Tomasz Teluk discusses the links between John Paul II and the teachings of Ludwig von Mises.

The Pope and Capitalism

"The pontiff may or may not have seen Mel Gibson's new movie, but more and more philosophers suggest that he has read Human Action by Ludwig von Mises, and that this magnum opus by the Austrian economist probably influenced the Pope in certain fragments of his early book, The Acting Person. The Pope's criticism of so-called "bureaucratic governance" is akin to Mises' "bureaucracy." The Pope's "personalism" is philosophically very close to the Austrian School, and is based on the same Aristotelian and Thomist traditions...

John Paul II reminds us that property rights are natural rights. He also underlines the significance of the freedom of human action and freedom of people's economic activities. The Pope reveals to us the change in the global economy. Wealth is no longer tied only to land, natural resources or capital. Knowledge, technology and know-how are important elements of contemporary fortunes."

'The Pope and Capitalism' at Tech Central Station

Furthermore, the Vice President of the Mises Institute, Jeffery Tucker, has a great article entitled The Pope and the Cause of Freedom that takes a closer look at the Centesimus Annus.