Doing Virtuous Business

Theodore Roosevelt Malloch thinks capitalism is good. It's good for people. It's good for economies. It's good for countries. It just needs moral people to keep it straight. Hence, Doing Virtuous Business, an in-depth defense of capitalism and a call for spiritual enterprise.


I had a hard time getting into this book. The author wrote it much like a board report (dull), with just enough anecdotes to keep you from falling asleep. I had the worst time getting through the chapter of virtues.

Once I got into the meat of the book, I found it full of excellent ideas. He states that corporations have "souls" and can embrace virtues without sacrificing profits. He encourages companies to incorporate spiritual space into the workday and to make it inclusive to all faiths. He highlights exceptional businesspeople who are religious and run successful companies.

Other than the writing style, I enjoyed this book. It's probably aimed more for people that work outside the home, but it gave me some interesting things to think about. My one main concern was that he seemed to think that businesspeople of any faith (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian) were better than people with none. I understand that if you don't have a source for truth you don't have any rationale for expressing virtues. I also don't think a corporation should force a specific religion on their employees. I just didn't understand how he could exemplify people all faiths without mentioning that they contradict (sometimes greatly). If you're in business and want a little moral(e) boost (pun intended), check this one out. [G, recommended for certain audiences]

[I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing's Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review. I am honest to a fault.]