Ancient sources of business ethics

Abstract

The article attempts to outline the origins of business ethics in ancient times. It draws upon both secular and religious sources to support its claims. Socrates and Aristotle were the founding fathers of a broadly accepted form of secular ethics, but their views also had a significant influence on the foundations of business ethics. The topics of money and wealth, as well as the rules governing their workings, were just as popular in ancient times as they are today, as can be seen in a large number of ethical prescriptions relating to how to lead our lives in a fair and proper way. The other, especially important source of the principles of business ethics was religion. The Old Testament is an exceptionally important collection of teachings and rules to guide people in their economic affairs. In contrast to the works of the aforementioned philosophers, these texts contained clear guidelines relevant to specific situations of everyday life. The ethics of Christianity, which to this day remain the main point of reference in European culture, even in the field of business ethics, were the fruit of combining the abstract thinking of the ancient Greeks with the clear foundations laid by the Old Testament.