This is an attempt to identify the philosophical underpinnings which have led us to place an over-reliance on the motivation of self-interest in governing our society. It analyzes the role of civic values in modifying economic behaviour.

In pursuit of civilization; the political economy of civilization; what's wrong with economists?; why taxpayers pay their taxes; basic problems of an entrepreneurial system; unemployment develops because money doesn't grow on trees; controlling inflation; policies for a civilized global economy - whose international debt crisis is it anyway?; a summing-up.