Sacred Trust: The Medieval Church As an Economic Firm
Автор:Robert B. Ekelund, Robert F. Hebert, Robert D. Tollison, Gary M. Anderson, Audrey B. Davidson, Robert B., Jr Ekelund Год: [не указано] Издание: [не указанo] Страниц: [не указано] ISBN: 0195103378 Without meaning to be irreverent, it is fair to say that in the Middle Ages, at the height of its political and economic power, the Roman Catholic Church functioned in part as a powerful and sophisticated corporation. The Church dealt in a "product" many consumers felt they had to have: the salvation of their immortal souls. The Pope served as its CEO, the College of Cardinals as its board of directors, bishoprics and monasteries as its franchises. And while the Church certainly had moral and social goals, this early antecedent to AT&T and General Motors had economic motives and methods as well, seeking to maximize profits by eliminating competitors and extending its markets. In Sacred Trust: The Medieval Church as an Economic Firm, five highly respected economists advance the controversial argument that the story of the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages is in large part a story of supply and demand. Without denying the centrality--or sincerity--of religious motives,...
