On the Private and Public Virtues of an Honorable Entrepreneur: Preventing a Separation of the Honorable and the Useful

Alexis de Tocqueville’s writings on honor, and his observation that a democracy’s definition of honor stands for the peculiar individual character of that nation before the world, provide inspiration for an ideal entrepreneurial innovator discussed in this book. Beginning with Aristotle, contributions of the giants of moral, political, and economic thinking are aggregated in a Credo for honorable entrepreneurs who are dedicated to freedom and general human flourishing. The Credo’s maxims and duties can help entrepreneurs prevent a separation of the honorable and the useful, which is a moral challenge faced by many leaders in all parts of society. Like-minded individuals who share this vision can rebalance power and repair America’s triune social order, while creating wealth and a surplus that can benefit the poorest among us.