It makes little sense to complain about capitalism without proposing something better, either a better capitalism or a better system. Socialism isn’t one, and better capitalism might lead us to a better system.

Here is a modest proposal I offer with my former Belmont Abbey colleague, Michael Watson.

Profits for All: Flexible Wages in a Free Economy

by Michael Szpindor Watson & Grattan Brown

Christian Social Thought Series, The Acton Institute, 2020

Creative destruction is a long-recognized and accepted feature of a dynamic market economy. But can this destruction go too far? Should there be no limit to the number of jobs, families, and even entire communities that are sacrificed for the sake of greater economic production and efficiency? Could it be, as some critics claim, that a drastic fettering of markets is the only solution?

Michael Watson and Grattan Brown acknowledge the collateral damage of markets and seek a solution that will temper negative effects without constricting the economic vitality needed for the continued amelioration of material deprivation in our world. Placing remunerative work at the center of their analysis, they identify a promising reform: flexible wage rates. They make the case that permitting compensation to mirror the market more closely will preserve employment, empower workers, and minimize the impact of economic volatility. Understanding that the common good is served by both economic dynamism and family and community stability founded on stable employment, Watson and Brown recommend flexible-wage policies as the best way forward.

Buy the book here.