A Study Of George George 's Economic Ethics

Richard T. De George is the Co-Director of the International Center for Ethics in Business at the University of Kansas. He is one of the pioneers that studies in Business Ethics in America, or even in the world, and makes great contributions to the development of Business Ethics. He gives a scientific definition of this subject, which defines Business Ethics as pragmatic Ethics. It is a branch of Ethics, which applies Ethics to the area of Economy. He devides the history of Business Ethics into three intertwining strands:Ethics-in-business, the development of an academic field, and Business Ethics as a movement, and subdivides each strand into two branches. He makes a thorough exploration of moral issues in business activities, and puts forward the notion " The myth of amoral business"." The myth of amoral business" considers that business has no relationship with Ethics. This notion is queried by increasing number of people, and dying out. Ethical pluralism considers that though people have different concepts of morality, they still obey many similar value idea and moral standards, and the rational moral standards in one country can be accepted by other ones. De George makes use of the principles of Utilitarianism, Moral Law, and Rights and Justice, which can analyse and evaluate the qualities of business activities. He considers Business Ethics as a practical subject with the fundamental aim of contructing tight relationship between the theory of Business Ethics and practice. De George also makes initial explorations of information and technology issues in Business Ethics, and moral issues in international business, and proposes effective countermeasures and theory.De George’s thought of Business Ethics has actual guiding meaning to the development of Business Ethics and moral construction under the condition of socialist market economy in our country. We must pay much attention on native ethical and cultural environment, and take the practice-oriented path. In the process of moral construction under the condition of socialist market economy, we should enhance the consciousness of faith, and form good norms in electronic business and international business.