Chapter 1: Introduction to Economic Peace^*

Today, financial rationale inevitably dominates our existence to the point that we have forgotten the essential: the purpose of the economy and the company is to contribute to the common good, to social peace, and to a happy life in the city. At the same time, this rationale is presented as being difficult to understand and, therefore, abandoned by the experts. Decisions are taken only at the national or supranational level, and democratic dialogue, therefore, suffers. Deep down, we all need to contribute to the economic debate, not academically and abstractly, but in the initial and pragmatic sense of oikos nomos: the rules of good domestic administration. Participating in the economy thus regains its central role for a rich collective life, guaranteeing fulfilment for businesses and people, unlike what is caused by neoliberalism through frenetic individualism, excessive consumption, and destructive competition.