In Chapter 1, I address the continuing demand for a moral foundation for capitalism from the perspective of business leaders, business educators, and policymakers. These parties have been heavily impacted by the neoclassical economic view of capitalism based on narrow self-interest. I begin by discussing the demand for a moral foundation from the perspective of business leaders attempting to return to the stakeholder view of corporate responsibility that existed before the influence of the Chicago School. Next, I discuss the demand from the perspective of business educators attempting to return to the moral foundation provided by the early founders of the university-based business school. Finally, I discuss the demand from the perspective of policymakers attempting to return to an enlightened public policy that meets the broader needs of capitalist society. I conclude by outlining the leading characters and themes contained in this book. The search for a moral foundation for capitalism is not new. It has a long history going back to Adam Smith and the Scottish Enlightenment. The purpose of this book is to tell the story of this search through the lives and writings of its leading characters.

In Chapter 6, I address how neoclassical economists have joined the search for a moral foundation for capitalism by discussing the lives and writings of Vernon Smith and Michael Jensen. I begin by discussing the victory of neoclassical economic theory over institutional economics. Max Weber and Frank Knight expressed deep concerns regarding the potential negative effects of neoclassical theory absent important social and moral norms, but their concerns went unheeded in the university-based business school. The victory of neoclassical economics over institutional economics altered the view of government regulation and business management in a way that severely reduced their value to capitalist society. Next, I discuss prominent neoclassical economists who have joined the search for a moral foundation for capitalism. I begin by discussing experimental economist Vernon Smith and his incorporation of Adam Smith’s moral theory to explain norm-based behavior emerging in the lab. I then discuss financial economist Michael Jensen and his incorporation of values and integrity into neoclassical theory after the crisis of capitalism brought on by the global market crash of 2007–08. This sets up a discussion of initial attempts to extend neoclassical economic theory and the continued resistance to such attempts.