Church and the Market - 2nd Edition by Thomas E Woods (Paperback)

About the Book

In the revised edition of the 2006 Templeton Enterprise Award-winning The Church and the Market: A Catholic Defense of the Free Economy, Tom Woods makes a compelling case for the free market- and why Catholics should support it- in this sweeping polemic. Covering everything fr...

Book Synopsis

In the revised edition of the 2006 Templeton Enterprise Award-winning The Church and the Market: A Catholic Defense of the Free Economy, Tom Woods makes a compelling case for the free market-- and why Catholics should support it-- in this sweeping polemic. Covering everything from labor unions to monopoly to money and banking, The Church and the Market is the economics course you never had, except interesting.

Review Quotes

A clear, compelling, and uncompromising argument that the moral teachings of the Catholic Church are completely compatible with free market capitalism... Woods also shows that some elements of Catholic social doctrine are the unfortunate result of factual error rather than the application of moral principle.


A fine contribution to the debate concerning the possible and the proper reconciliation of Catholic social doctrine with free-market economics. Professor Woods finds an interesting niche in such a complex and uneven discussion...the author writes with splendid clarity, succeeding in explaining not-so-simple economic questions in very simple terms.

A highly readable book that reflects much effort by a serious and gentlemanly scholar.

A person with no interest at all in Catholic social thinking can still benefit from [The Church and the Market]. The author writes with splendid clarity, succeeding in explaining not-so-simple economic questions in very simple terms.... A fine contribution to the debate concerning the possible and proper reconciliation of Catholic social doctrine with free-market economic

A timely and insightful contribution to integrating both the logic of the market and the logic of morality. A correct understanding of the ethical aspects of most urgent social and political questions cannot but gain from enlightenment by sound economic thinking as expounded in this admirably written book.

Should be required reading for any university or seminary course in social sciences that is supposed to be grounded in Catholic social teaching. Woods puts his case with such rigor and lucidity that there is probably no other text that is more effective in supporting a discussion of the application of the Church's social teaching to specific economic issues.

Should be required reading for priests, bishops, and seminarians, as well as clerics of other denominations, as a remedy for the socialism that has crept into religious circles over the past century.


The Church and the Market makes a convincing case that the 16th Century Scholastics anticipated elements of Austrian economics. More generally, it shows that religion is not necessarily antithetical to an appreciation of what the study of economics can offer....Woods' contribution is that he reminds us of the theological origins of many economic concepts that we teach our undergraduates today.

Woods is an all-too-rare Catholic writer, one who is well versed in both Church doctrine and free-market economics.... The Church and the Market is a valuable book.

Woods, one of the best classical liberal scholars of his generation, has once more placed us in his debt with this lucid and tightly argued book.

Woods' central message, that sound moral statements about economic issues have to be grounded in sound economics is to my mind incontrovertible. And, in the main, Woods brings this message home with well-reasoned and well-presented analysis. Both the message and the analysis deserve careful reflection.

Woods' coverage of a vast terrain (economics, history, theology, philosophy, and politics) is concise, but not breezy.... The best writing draws attention to itself only after it has been read. If the reader reflects on the human source of his literary delight, he may feel a debt of gratitude such as I felt after reading each of Woods' chapters. Woods' firm literary hand assures the reader that he is not in over his head and delivers a work that, for all its learning, goes down smoothly.

About the Author

Thomas E. Woods Jr. is the author of theNew York Times bestsellerThe Politically Incorrect Guide to American History. He has written over 150 articles for popular and scholarly periodicals and is a frequent commentator on radio and television.