Excessive Profits in Business: A Catholic Social Teachings Perspective

This opinion editorial discusses the issue of excessive profits in business from a Catholic Social Teachings perspective. It elaborates on the principles of human dignity and common good and recommends solutions to the problem. The recommendations are related to maintaining human dignity and common good and will benefit everyone in the community. The article is relevant to business students and anyone interested in understanding the issue of excessive profits in business.

Running head: EXCESSIVE PROFITS
Excessive profits
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Excessive profits (business context)
Many business people around the world may not get it well when the issue of excessive
profits is touched, however, as a student studying business in information system and would like
to venture as a business person; it is essential to elaborate the issue based on the Catholic Social
Teachings. There are two fundamental principles in the Catholic Social Teachings that develop
on how human beings should carry out themselves in various context in reference to Brady,
(2017). In this opinion editorial, it is going to elaborate on the issue of excessive profits in
relation to principles of common good and human dignity. Besides that, the editorial is going to
recommend how people can solve the problem basing the knowledge on the field of business in
information system. The recommendations are directly related to human dignity and the common
good. They will benefit everyone in the community.
From the Catholic Social Teachings, human dignity means the state in which every
human being views each other as a unique creature. By unique creatures, it means that everyone
is treating each other with integrity and respect according to Beyleveld, (2016). One cannot say
that he or she is abiding by the Catholic rules without regard to fellow human beings. Human
beings resemble God in their unique way and going disrespecting or lacking integrity is a sign of
disrespect to the Almighty high. Consequently, the issue of excessive profits is against Catholic
Social Teachings. It shows that the individual lacks integrity and some level of honesty in
reference to Convey, (2015). The people who pay the excess amount to cater for the profits is
fellow human being whom you should act to him or her with integrity. There are various reasons
why business people get excess profits in their business. One of the reasons is the increase in
demand of the goods, a monopoly in the market and lack of a control system that can regulate the
price of products. As a student doing business in an information system, various ways can assist

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in controlling trade from getting excessive profits and bring back human dignity in society. One
of the ways is teaching all the business people on the importance of maintaining integrity in
every business. From God’s teachings, one cannot take advantage of the situation and treat other
people as wild animals. From human dignity, it is essential to be integral hence good generation
to come according to Nishino, (2017). Besides that, one of the things is to ensure that the
authority registers all the business to close the room for cheating in prices of goods. There is also
an important issue where the government should inform the buyers of the exact cost of a product
to avoid the loop of business taking advantage of the situation.
The principle of common good refers to the activities or an action that is advantageous to
all members of the society or nation. When business hike prices to get higher profits, it is only
beneficial to them and their families; this is against the principle of common good from the
Catholic Teachings. Common good requires everyone to benefit from an issue or an institution in
the society according to Melé, (2016). If it comes to suffering everyone should suffer and rejoice
if there is something good. For the community to realize common good now and in future, the
authority can create familiar places that have verified prices for the consumers. These ideas will
lock out cartels who want to maximize seasons to get high profits. As a student who is doing a
degree in business information system, when the authority gives me an opportunity to serve
people, I would advise for one system that monitors prices for businesses according to
Westheimer, (2015). It helps to realize common good because there is nobody the business
people can exploit to get excess profits.
For one to have a genuine business, he or she must maintain the principle of human
dignity and common good illustrated in the Catholic Social Thoughts. The primary target in
every market is the customers. However, the business people must know that the customers are

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God’s creatures and there is a way God wants His beings to coexist. The schools teaching
business-related courses should incorporate the Catholic Principles in their syllabus to assist the
students to have Christian traits even as they do business.

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References
Beyleveld, D. (2016). Making sense of human dignity. In From reason to practice in bioethics.
Manchester University Press.
Brady, B. V. (2017). Essential Catholic Social Thought 2nd edition. Orbis Books.
Convey, J. J. (2015). Catholic Schools and the Common Good. Gravissimum Educationis:
Golden Opportunities in American Catholic Education 50 Years after Vatican II, 147.
Melé, D. (2016). Virtues, values, and principles in Catholic social teaching. Handbook of Virtue
Ethics in Business and Management, 1-12.
Nishino, M. (2017). Some Reflections on Human Dignity and Human Life. ARCHIV FUR
RECHTS-UND SOZIALPHILOSOPHIE, 103(3), 304-321.
Westheimer, J. (2015). What kind of citizen?: Educating our children for the common good.
Teachers College Press.