Pirson, MichaelKimakowitz, Ernst vonSpitzeck, HeikoAmann, Wolfgang2019-09-252019-09-252014-01-072009http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/199183Before and during the Middle Ages many societies were organized around a dominant power such as a king or priest. Serving the central ruler was the raison d’eˆtre of the state, its economy, and its inhabitants, which often resulted in human costs. In the era of enlightenment,1 proponents of Liberalism broke with this tradition and boldly proclaimed individual freedoms as the central tenet of organized society.2 Consequently, societies transformed, economies experienced an upsurge, wealth was created at unprecedented rates, and a growing number of citizens were able to pursue their life goals more freely. The industrial revolution that followed is often regarded as a direct result of these societal changes, supporting the argument that Liberalism’s empowering effects on the individual were at the epicenter of longlasting and profound progress in human developmentPages: 948engWith permission of the license/copyright holderbusiness ethicsEconomic ethicsBusiness ethicsGeneral theology/otherBook chapter