We explore themes in Nobel Prize–winning economist James M. Buchanan’s work and apply his Ethics and Economic Progress to problems facing individuals and firms. We focus on Buchanan’s analysis of the individual work ethic, his exhortations to “pay the preacher” of the “institutions of moral-ethical communication,” and his notion of law as “public capital.” We highlight several ways people with other-regarding preferences can contribute to social flourishing and some of the ways those who have “affected to trade for the public good” might want to redirect their efforts. We show how Buchanan’s work has considerable implications for business ethics. Just as his economic analysis of politics changed how we understand government, we think his economic analysis of ethics can (and should) change how we understand business.

我们探讨诺贝尔奖获得者经济学家詹姆斯·M·布坎南的著作中的主题，并应用他的《伦理学与经济进步》个人和公司面临的问题。我们关注布坎南对个人职业道德的分析，他对“道德伦理沟通机构”“付钱给传教士”的劝告，以及他作为“公共资本”的法律概念。我们强调了具有其他偏好的人可以为社会繁荣做出贡献的几种方式，以及那些“影响到为公共利益而交易”的人可能希望重新调整他们的努力的一些方式。我们展示了布坎南的工作如何对商业道德产生重大影响。正如他对政治的经济分析改变了我们对政府的理解一样，我们认为他对伦理的经济分析可以（并且应该）改变我们对商业的理解。