Sunday, February 16, 2014

Vatican cardinal challenges economists to develop ‘economy of inclusion’

Speaking at the London School of Economics, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace challenged his audience to “design an economy of inclusion.” 

“It will require the full breadth of your many disciplines,” said Cardinal Peter Turkson. “It requires great reach and generous welcome to have quite different voices heard: banking, finance, business, politics, as well as workers, the unemployed and migrants, youth and the old.” 

Cardinal Turkson summarized and defended his controversial 2011 document, “Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority.” At the same time, he somewhat downplayed the document’s significance, referring to it as a “discussion document.” 

“I call it a ‘Note’ to indicate the nature of the text,” he said. “It is a discussion document meant to stimulate international reflection and discussion about the financial markets still in the grip of the crisis which burst open in 2007.”