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ChapterI.Poland’smarketeconomyintheinterwarperiod(1918-1939)
theroadtowardsordoliberalismhadalreadybeentakenbyutopiansocialists,
butthedirectionofcollectiveownership,whichtheypursued,couldnothave
broughtabouttheexpectedresults.ForEucken,thebesteconomicsystem
wasbasedon:thedominationofsmallandmedium-sizedproperty,the
state’scomprehensivesupportforthe“middleclass”,andmarketcompeti-
tion.Euckenalsobelievedthatitwasthestate’sobligationtocounteractmo-
nopolistictendencies.Allthis,however,shouldbecontrolledbyeconomic
ethics.Inthesamevein,Röpkewouldclaimthatalthougheconomisation
andmaterialisationgiverisetoacultoflabourproductivity,materialex-
pansion,andanincreaseinthestandardofliving,allabsolutesleadtoevil.
Hence,thecultofahighstandardoflivingwas,inhisview,justasmuch
ofanevilasunderratingitandpushingpeopletowardspoverty.
Fromthisperspective,itistheeconomicethicsoftheindividualsandtheso-
cietythatinfluencepoliticalpractice.Ethicalarrangementsareseenasmore
effectivethanthelegalsystemwhenitcomestoregulatingsocialinterac-
tions.Thisisespeciallytruewithregardtosuchareasaslabourrelations
betweenemployersandemployees.Thecreatorofthe“ordo”conceptalso
believedthatinterpersonalrelationsweregovernedbythe“Christianduty
tolove,firstone’sfamily,thenthesociety”.“Ahealthyfamilylife”wasinhis
viewthebasisofahealthysociety,conditionaluponowning“ahousewith
agarden”.Overall,ordoliberalism,withitsstrongemphasisonethics,isre-
gardedasamoralstanceinthehistoryofeconomicthinking,witha“high
degreeofidealism”.
Furthermore,ordoliberalsbelievedthatsocialsecurityshouldnotbepro-
videdinasocialmarketeconomyatthecostofindividuals’ownactivity.For
them,onlyentrepreneurshipcanensurematerialsuccess,whichconfirms
thattheeffortwasworthwhile.Thatiswhyprovidingindividualswithan
opportunitytomakesavings(thankstoahigherincome)withthepurpose
ofsettinguptheirownenterprisesissuperiortothefinancialsupportoffered
bythestate.Thatbeingsaid,itisimportanttopointoutthatordoliberals
werealsoawarethatsocialpolicyinanysystemwasdependentonthefinan-
cialabilityofthestate.Believingthat“thereisandwill[always]beachasm
betweensocialneedsandthecapabilityoffulfillingthem”,ordoliberalssug-
gestedthatsocialpolicyshouldalwaysbeseenasacompromisebetweenthe
needsofthesocietyandthemeanstofulfilthem.
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