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Economic utopia of the Torah. Economic concepts of the Hebrew Bible interpreted according to the Rabbinical Literature

Author

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  • Esa Mangeloja

    (School of Business & Economics, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland)

Abstract

Hebrew Bible offers alternative Economic utopia for building Theocratic society. In this paper, various economic concepts and themes are presented, as found in the Hebrew Bible. These economic concepts include taxation, property rights, labor market, social policy, banking, years of Sabbath and Jubilee, and business cycles. Most economic issues of the Bible are found in the texts of Torah, also known as five Books of Moses. These texts are analyzed by using classical Rabbinical commentaries for better insight. Contrary to the modern Economic theory which is based on the assumptions of scarcity of resources and unlimited needs of consumers, Economics of the Torah is based on God’s resources which are enough for all true needs of His people.

Suggested Citation

  • Esa Mangeloja, 2004. "Economic utopia of the Torah. Economic concepts of the Hebrew Bible interpreted according to the Rabbinical Literature," Method and Hist of Econ Thought 0405004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpmh:0405004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Neusner, Jacob, 1990. "The Economics of the Mishnah," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226576558, October.
    5. Aumann, Robert J. & Maschler, Michael, 1985. "Game theoretic analysis of a bankruptcy problem from the Talmud," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 195-213, August.
    6. Ephraim Kleiman, 1987. "Opportunity Cost, Human Capital, and Some Related Economic Concepts in Talmudic Literature," History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 261-287, Summer.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Hebrew Bible; History of Economics; History of Economic Thought; Ancient Israel; Judaism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B11 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - Preclassical (Ancient, Medieval, Mercantilist, Physiocratic)

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