Perspectives on Government and the Economy: Religious and Ethnic Variation in Support for CST-Inspired Economic Principles

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) offers a relational, justice-oriented alternative to neoclassical economics, emphasising the common good, human dignity, solidarity, and related principles. In Cathonomics, Annett proposes that realising CST’s economic vision requires not only policy reform but also cultural and political shifts in public attitudes, particularly regarding the role of the state in the economy. This paper examines how attitudes toward CST principles vary across religious-ethnic groups in the United States, assessing potential support for Annett’s vision. I use data from the 2022 General Social Survey to study attitudes across three broad categories consistent with a CST-aligned economic vision: support for government intervention in the economy, views on economic structure, and opinions regarding public spending. I explore how economic policy preferences vary across eight religious–ethnic groups, highlighting differences between white and Latino Catholics and comparing their perspectives to those of other groups. The findings reveal that religious and ethnic identity shape economic worldviews in ways that affect potential adoption of CST principles; building support for CST-inspired policies would require engaging the distinct moral and political frameworks of different religious–ethnic communities. This research contributes to debates about the role of religion and ethnicity in economic policymaking and the cultural foundations of distributive justice.