Religious Foundations of Poverty and Wealth in a Post-Secular Society (Using the Example of India and China)

The negative consequences of poverty, both for society as a whole and for individuals, alongside the imbalance in the financial status of countries in the modern world, stimulate scholarly inquiry into the causes of these phenomena and potential means to overcoming them. The article examines the religious grounds or reasons for people’s economic behavior that contribute to the spread of poverty or, conversely, the accumulation of wealth, the increase in the level of material well-being. Approaches to the definition of poverty and wealth are considered, the causes and consequences of these social phenomena are characterized. According to the author, in a post-secular society where religion plays an important role, new studies of cause-and-effect relationships between theological doctrines, on the one hand, and the views, worldview of believers and their ways of acting, including in the economic sphere, on the other hand, are becoming particularly relevant. Using Hinduism and Confucianism as case studies, the article elucidates the influence of religious ideas, principles, and practices on the economic conditions in India and the People’s Republic of China. Through this analysis, the work aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how religious frameworks shape economic behavior and, ultimately, the socio-economic landscape in these two diverse cultural contexts.