Scholastic Morality and the Birth of Economics. The Thought of Martín de Azpilcueta Rodrigo Muñoz de Juana [La teología moral escolástica y los orígenes de la ciencia económica. El pensamiento de Martín de Azpilcueta]

One of the most debated issues in the field of social sciences is the problem of the relationship between ethics and economics. The writings on morality of Navarro M. de Azpilcueta (1492-1586) hold a distinguished place in the theological literature of the early modern era because he addressed many of the fundamental moral issues surrounding the birth of market economics. This article evaluates the reception of Scholastic political economy in the history of economic thought and presents a detailed exposition of Azpilcueta’s moral teaching on the commercial and financial practices of his day. The article concludes with a description of Azpilcueta’s understanding on the intrinsic relationship between morality and economics, which, for him, was neither a mere iuxtaposition nor an opposition of disciplines.