Compassionate Capitalism: The Intersection of Economic Growth and Social Justice by Gerard L. Hasenhuettl is a non-fiction book that invents and describes a new type of economy. Compassionate Capitalism starts off proposing a new kind of economy that involves some of the best features of traditional capitalism and socialism. The book is broadly divided into four sections with separate chapters in each section: the sections focus on a broad history of the world societies in general, a detailed review and comparisons of the existing systems such as capitalism, communism, socialism, etc., a review of the major religions in the world and the cultural and societal impact they have on their cultures, an introduction to a new system called compassionate capitalism which focuses on personal freedom but also a societal awareness of giving, and lastly, the different ways in which organizations and communities can contribute to the welfare of mankind with real life examples.

Compassionate Capitalism is an interesting take on the various economies in the world. I agree with the general philosophy behind the compassionate capitalism economy, but couldn’t help wondering if it is practical in today’s world where it is increasingly common to only look out for ourselves or for our community and be indifferent towards others. Still, the book is well researched in terms of politics and economics, and presents a new and improved point of view about living in societies. The writing is clear and easy to understand even for a layperson in economics. Overall, this is an interesting take on the question of modern economic systems.

Compassionate Capitalism: The Intersection of Economic Growth and Social Justice by Gerard Hasenhuettl is a non-fiction book that discusses a topic which readers will find both intriguing and interesting. For many years, the West has embraced a capitalist form of economy, which allows the private sector to exercise a great influence in the markets, with individuals accumulating more wealth than is necessary. Capitalism has always been accused of being indifferent to the plight of the poor — who generally constitute the bigger segment of the population. Compassionate Capitalism answers the question: How can a system allow the gifted, hardworking, and wealthy few to enjoy the freedom of their wealth while consistently responding to the plight of the less fortunate? Compassionate capitalism is the answer to this question and it is, as the subtitle states, the intersection between economic growth and social justice, a way of humanizing capitalism.

There are very interesting points raised in Compassionate Capitalism and Gerard Hasenhuettl demonstrates a lot of understanding when it comes to political and economic systems. In this book, readers will understand the downside of capitalism in an economy and how governments can integrate social values into existing capitalist systems. This book can be read as a compelling proposal to consider new ways of approaching the phenomena of social justice and poverty. This book is written in a clear and compelling voice, and the reader is immediately pulled into the worldview of the author. Using facts and concrete examples, Gerard Hasenhuettl opens an argument and proposes a form of economy that could solve some of the most pressing ills of contemporary society.