First Philosophy of Democratic Capitalism As Creative Economy: A Thomistic Onto-Theology of Self-Communicative Ownership

Abstract

This paper attempts a theological justification for the right to private property or ownership. This I have subtitled, “A Thomistic Onto-Theology of Self-Communicative Ownership,” for our discourse grounds human ownership as a participation of the self-giving creativity of the Divine owner. Such a justification of ownership is also a metaphysical articulation of the true spirit of the creative economy, which should be the theological norm for democratic capitalism, insofar as capitalism aspires to be such a creative economy. This is no blind praise of any capitalist system, but proposes itself as a normative thesis as well as a justificatory thesis of capitalism. Hence its title, “First Philosophy of Democratic Capitalism As Creative Economy,” for it intends to be a demonstration of its first principles—first of a creative economy, and by extension also of democratic capitalism insofar as the latter should instantiate such an economy.