Język Polski
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Freedom of Economic Activity as a Value in Christianity and a Principle in Polish Law
Abstract
In Christian doctrine, particularly within the framework of Catholic social teaching (CST), considerable emphasis is placed upon the value of work. This is evident in the Bible, as well as in various pastoral documents and the legacy of Catholic scholars: philosophers, theologians, and economists. However, in this approach, work is predominantly approached as a means to glorify God, to subdue the earth, and to serve others. The active role of the human entrepreneur, who creates a working environment for profit-making purposes, is accorded comparatively less significance. Hence the question arises: Is entrepreneurship so understood contrary to the CST? Does it represent a value in Christianity? Does the pursuit of profit in labour inherently preclude the possibility of working for the glory of God? To address these inquiries, the legal-dogmatic method will be employed. Relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland concerning the social market economy will be analyzed. This approach will be complemented by a method of literature review and synthesis of obtained materials. The author posits that entrepreneurship understood as the freedom to choose profession and engage in paid work holds a significant value within Christianity. Furthermore, the principle of economic freedom enshrined in the Polish Constitution implements the values embedded in the CST.
Keywords:
entrepreneurship, employer, Catholic social teaching, freedom of economic activityDetails
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.