The transformation of moral concepts in European economic thought

Morality is not eternal, detached from the material world, autonomous, abstract and universally valid concept; it is constantly transforming historically and socially, and this transformation has specific functions since morality first emerged. In this study, we examined the transformation of moral conceptions, which occupy an important place in science, from the time economic thought first emerged to the present day, considering the process from Ancient Greek philosophers to the marginal revolution. We analyzed this transformation through a historical materialist method, in relation to societies' material production processes, and by attempting to uncover its specific economic and social functions. Our conclusion is that the dynamics of the transformation of moral conceptions in economics are related to the needs of societies' specific modes of production, with certain moralities belonging to particular modes of production. Furthermore, the generally accepted moral judgments in science serve the function of affirming the dominant mode of production in society. Historically, moral judgments in economics have served to defend, justify, and protect the interests of the dominant mode of production and, consequently, the ruling class.