Do Markets Corrupt Our Morals?

Virgil Henry Storr is Associate Professor of Economics at George Mason University and the Don C. Lavoie Senior Fellow in the F.A. Hayek Program in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the Mercatus Center. Ginny Seung Choi is Associate Director of Academic & Student Programs; a Senior Fellow in the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics; and a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor of Economics at Saint Vincent College.

“Storr and Choi are to be commended for directly addressing the question perennially put to markets—do they corrupt us?—and demonstrating that markets need not apologize for viciousness. They also are to be praised for the form of their argument that allows students of morality and markets across and outside academic disciplines … . This reader enjoyed gathering evidence to spread the good news that the market improves our lives both materially and morally.” (Brianne Wolf, The Review of Austrian Economics, Vol. 36 (1), 2023)“The merit of this book is that it does take on those arguments and concerns directly, and offers some persuasive answers and attractive avenues for further inquiry.” (Michael Munger, Public Choice, Vol. 185, 2020)

• 1. Can Markets Be Moral?.- 2. Markets as Monsters.- 3. Markets as Unintentionally Moral Wealth Creators.- 4. People Can Improve Their Lives Through Markets.- 5. Markets Are Moral Spaces.- 6. Markets Are Moral Training Grounds.- 7. What If Markets Are Really Moral?.