Social Justice Without Socialism

A series of early‑twentieth‑century essays, first presented to a university audience, explores how moral principles intersect with the expanding world of commerce. The speakers—economists, journalists and business leaders—probe the obligations of trade in an era when industrial power reshapes everyday life, asking what responsibility the market has to the broader public.

The collection tackles contentious topics such as “Social Justice Without Socialism,” weighing democratic ideals against state intervention, and examines the tension between private monopoly and good citizenship. Other talks turn a critical eye toward the influence of commercial interests on journalism and the ways a business career must manage its public image. The essays are grounded in the practical realities of 1914, yet they raise questions that still echo in today’s debates over regulation, competition and ethical enterprise.

Listeners will find a thoughtful snapshot of the moral landscape that framed the rise of modern capitalism, delivered in clear, scholarly language that invites reflection without prescribing a single solution.