Crisi finanziaria, economia reale e Scrittura

[Autom. eng. transl.] The crisis that has hit the globalized world since the summer of 2007, first of all in its financial implications and subsequently in those pertaining to the real economy, has had the effect of laying bare the many limits that characterize the market economy, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon context. If the economy and finance show, at first sight, their apparently aseptic nature, it is necessary to remember that "the values are in the plant", that is in their technical dimension. In spite of their apparent technical aspect, the economic disciplines are in fact strongly interwoven with a relational dimension in which a dimension of justice dwells, which economists define as equity. With regard to this aspect of justice in economic relations, the Scriptures watch very carefully. This reflection intends to juxtapose two apparently distant methodological plans. Having in fact highlighted the nature and functions of a credit intermediary, we briefly review the salient features of the recent economic and financial crisis, emphasizing, in particular, the link between the genesis of the crisis and the presence of real assets and financial assets not properly valued by the market. All this involves the presence on the real and financial markets of activities that do not have equilibrium prices for the known reasons connected with the different types of market failures that have been extensively treated by the Economics and Finance studies. Whenever there is a market failure, one person earns without merit and another loses without fault. The need for justice in economic transactions, which represents a need not only of a moral nature, but also of a technical nature, finds its precise exposition directly in Scripture which, through a broader view, carefully watches over the relational and justice of economic exchanges, providing clear implications of value and meaningful considerations. Scripture in fact turns its attention to the meaning and purpose of all real and financial activities, to their belonging and to the attitude that men of faith must have towards goods.