Capitalism and Socialism

This course is class-restricted to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.. For the past two centuries, capitalism and socialism have been taken to represent the two fundamental alternatives available to us with regard to the organization of the economy. But what exactly do we mean when we invoke these concepts, and what exactly are the fault lines that render them distinct? Through an intensive study of the foundational philosophical texts that gave rise to these traditions, our course will seek to gain clarity about what we mean when we invoke these today. Authors to be examined will include Rousseau, Adam Smith, Marx, and Hayek, as well as key writings in the tradition of Catholic Social Thought.