Steuerungsethik lauteren Wettbewerbs und Protestantismus – Ein Beitrag zur ideengeschichtlichen Diskussion

Abstract Based on actual advancements of historical research on Smith and Luther, the thesis of protestantism concerning the roots of competitive capitalism is being confirmed, but modified by aspects of paradigmatic revolution to individualistic anthropology. The present paper analyses the Lutheran theology of justification as a special kind of contingency doctrine and shows historical developments from Luther to Thomasius, Smith and Kant. As to the history of paradigma effects of individualism, European origins of competition ethics of responsibility can be shown, which do not refer to market performance or imperformance, but to accountability in sense of risk identification and risk control. Unfair competitive actions, therefore, are to be legally interdicted as unethical competition behaviour when market risks are transferred to market partners or to third persons without good reasons of risk control. Some further conclusions can be made to ethical rules of banking and companies’ law as well as to the general law of commerce.