"Economy as Religion"

Abstract

Comparing economy to religion is a fairly common phenomenon when used as a rhetorical tool, but can it also be used analytically? This thesis is based on a sociological reading of three books by Robert Nelson, who defines the field of economics as a set of theologies for secular religions in modern society. Using the phenomenological sociology of Thomas Luckmann, it seeks to expand on the ideas of Nelson and identify their sociological utility. It finds that understanding economy as religion gives valuable insight into the relationships of science, ideology and morality to economy. It provides an outside perspective on economy in a world where subjective economic definitions of reality are accepted in the mainstream as objective truth.