Economy Of The Common Good: A Theological Reading Of Alberto Hurtado's Thought

Abstract

Alberto Hurtado's economic thought was linked to a theological perspective of the common good, essentially within the context of the economic crisis that affected Chile during the first half of the 20th century. The central problem identified by the Jesuit was poverty, inequality, and the lack of coherence between faith and social practice, arguing that the economy should be oriented towards serving human dignity.

Hurtado understood that social responsibility, solidarity, and justice should be integral to public policies, both for the business world and for workers.

His methodology was based on the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) and economics, through authors such as Louis-Joseph Lebret, who emphasizes the person as a rational being and not as an economic individual who seeks to excessively satisfy their needs. He proposed social participation and equitable access to goods as an indispensable principle for achieving a more just and dignified society. The results of this proposal indicate that the economy should be understood as a tool to achieve the common good, recognizing the person not as a subject of consumption, but with an inherent dignity.