The ‘Economy of Francesco’: An economy serving society

Lecture by Prof. Dr. Luca Crivelli

“Go and repair my house, which lies in complete ruins.” Eight hundred years ago, this call was answered by St. Francis of Assisi. In his spirit, Pope Francis invited young economists and entrepreneurs from over 100 countries to Assisi in September 2022. They pledged to “repair” today’s economy and to realize a new humanism—an Economy of Francesco. Under this name, a movement emerged that now shapes the debate on the future of capitalism and the market economy.

One particularly original idea was presented by neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso. Contrasting the current capitalist economic behavior, which is modeled on predatory animals, he proposed a botanical alternative. Faced with complex challenges such as water scarcity, air pollution, the loss of nature, biodiversity, and climate change, he asks: Who could teach us better than plants to listen to the cry of the Earth?