Dr. Sergey Lukin

The Orthodox socio-economic teaching, in general, and the concept of social responsibility of business, in particular, are developed to a considerably lesser degree in comparison to the catholic social doctrine. This applies to general church documents, as well as to works by particular individuals.

Western Christians inherited the major part of anything but simple Roman institutional legacy. More advanced capitalistic foundations, usury, lease system, and, later, the development of innovative Italian banking forced western Christians to turn to economic topics more frequently.

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Professor of Saint-Petersburg University L.I. Petrazhitsky was one of the most acknowledged researchers of the stock enterprising in Russia. Unfortunately, his extensive work, published in 1911 still waits to be properly assessed by economists, psychologists and lawyers.

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ABSTRACT

The third way concept managed to combine strong points of economic liberalism and socialistic doctrines. It was a result of fruitful joint efforts of CST and developers and predecessors of SME concept. And while economic part of CST has a nature of universal normative doctrine, SME concept is a concept of German economic system, brilliantly implemented in the economic policy of the government of this country in 1947 – 1967. Basic ideas of SME concept are still forming the core of CDU (one of the most influential political powers in Germany) economic program, and in many ways outlining the building of the European Union. In general, the idea of the third way became one of the most significant achievements of social-economic thought of the XX century. INTRODUCTION

In the line of economic doctrines the closest neighbor of ordo-liberalism and Social Market Economy (SME) concept is the economic part of the Catholic Social Thought (CST). This is not mere coincidence. Both of the concepts are based on the similar religious and ethical principles. One can easily trace the mutual influence of CST & SME. SME is based on religious and ethical principles of CST, which in its’ turn used the ideas and approach, developed by Walter Eucken and ordo-liberals as well as by SME concept creators Ludwig Erhard, Alfred Müller-Armack and others.

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