Gratuitousness and Work. The Priority of Labour over Capital in a Globalized Economy

The priority of labour over capital represents a powerful analytical tool for under-standing wealth creation and development. Such a tool is particularly relevant in today’s world, characterized by rapid change and increasing importance of immaterial, subjective dimensions of the economy. The paper provides an overview of the original analytical elements the Catholic Social Doctrine (CSD), as compared to the basic analytical tools coeval economic profession has mostly been using. Being based on a solid relational anthropology, CSD provides a powerful framework where the priority of labour is pivotal for advancing economic theory and practice, in the perspective of a “good life in common”. In particular, the paper elaborates on the notion of gratuitousness, an innovative expression which is deeply rooted in CSD and particularly helpful in order to realistically understand development and social progress in our globalized world.