DR. JOHN M. BOERSEMA
CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.The Gereformeerd Politiek Verbond (GPV) and the research process; 2. Ob- jectives and scope of the book; 3. The Way Ahead
CHAPTER 2 Cultural Mandate to the Honour of God 1. The Cultural Mandate; 2. Stewardship; 3. The Cultural Mandate and the GPV; 4. Practical Application; 5. Conclusion and Implications: 5.1. Employ- ment, 5.2 The environment, 5.3 To meet human needs, 5.4 Efficiency
CHAPTER 3 Other Christian Principles and Concepts 1. Principles/Concepts; 2. The Ten Commandments; 3. Sin; 4. Neighbour-Love; 5. Justice: 5.1 The Justice System, 5.2 Justice as Righteousness, 5.3 Justice as Fairness/Equity; 5.4 Justice and the Weak, 5.5 Distributive Justice, 5.5.1 Equality, 5.5.2 Contribution, 5.5.3 Need, 5.5.4 Equal Opportunity; 6. Counting the Cost; 7. Personal Responsibility: 7.1 Biblical Foundation , 7.2 Not Individualism; 8. Sphere Sovereignty; 9. Conclusion
CHAPTER 4 Goals of Economic Policy 1. Full Employment: 1.1 Cultural Mandate/Stewardship, 1.2 Support of self and others, 1.3 Idleness condemned, 1.4 The Well-being of our Neighbour, 1.5 Conclusion; 2. Ca ring for the Weak; 3. Preservation of the Environment; 4. Wealth/Prosperity: 4.1. Prosperity a Blessing, 4.2. Materialism Condemned, 4.3 Wealth: a means to serve the Lord; 5. Growth: 5.1 The GPV Position on Growth, 5.2 The Negative Aspects of Growth, 5.3 Positive Aspects of Growth, 5.4 Conclusion; 6. Other Goals: 6.1 Price-Level Stability, 6.2 Public Debt and Deficits; 6.2.1 Indebtedness is a rejection of God's blessing, 6.2.2 Increasing debt is robbing our children, 6.2.3 Debt enslaves us to foreigners, 6.2.4 debt increases unemployment, 6.2.5 Debt restricts our ability to deal with other serious problem; 6.3 Ba l-ance of Trade; 7. Conclusion
CHAPTER 5 The Role and Responsibility of Government 1. To maintain Justice and Right: 1.1 To main- tain the Justice System, 1.2 Shield for the Weak, 1.2.1 The GPV's position, 1.2.2 Biblical Justification: 2. To Implement the Cultural Mandate; 3. To Counter Materialism: 3.1 Justification for the Government's Role, 3.2 The extent of the Government's Role, 3.3 Some Cautionary Comments, 4. Conclusion
CHAPTER 7 The Market: a Conditional Preference 1. The market: a means to achieve biblical goals: 1.1 Stewardship--it works, 1.2 Fosters Personal Responsibility, 1.3 Caring for the Weak, 1.4 Promotes Other Christian Values; 2. The market and self-interest; 3. The market: not a perfect means: 3.1 Rules of the Game, 3.2 Lack of Knowledge/Information , 3.3 Property Rights Undefined, 3.4 Unjust Distribution, 3.5 No satisfactory equilibrium, 3.6 Monopolies/Concentration of Power, 3.7 Insufficient Necessary Goods and Services , 3.8 Neighbourhood Effects, 3.9 Short-run Orientation, 3.10 Non-Economic Goals; 4. Con- clusion: A Conditional Preference for the Market; 5. Conditional Market Preference: Explanation and implications
CHAPTER 8 Government and ownership 1. The Bible and Ownership: 1.1 The GPV and ownership, 1.2 Other views concerning ownership, 1.3 Conclusion and extension; 2. The Bible and Taxation: 2.1 Biblical Limits to the right to tax, 2.2 Some Relevant Biblical Principles, 2.3 Limitations to the ability to tax: 3. Expropriation; 4. Government Property and Services: 4.1 The significance of Infrastructure for society, 4.1.1 Employment, 4.1.2 Nation Building, 4.1.3 Sustainable Development, 4.1.4 Assisting the Weak, 4.2 The Adequacy of Infrastructure, 4.3 Ownership/Operation of Infrastructure, 4.3.1 Utilities and other State Enterprises, 4.3.2 Privatisation, 4.3.3 User fees, 4.4 Conclusion; 5. Regulation: 5.1 The right and need to regulate, 5.2 The necessity to deregulate; 6. Neighbourhood Effects and the Environment; 7. Conclusion
CHAPTER 9 Competition and Incentives 1. Competition in the Market-place: 1.1 Importance of competition, 1.2 Negative Aspects of Competition, 1.3 The Government's Task, 1.4 Conclusion; 2. Com- petition in the Global Market-Place; 3. Incentives: 3.1 The bible and incentives, 3.2 Incentives for individuals, 3.3 Incentives for businesses; 4. Conclusion
CHAPTER 10 Structural changes? 1. The Dutch Model: 1.1 Sociaal Economische Raad (SER), 1.2 Stichting van Arbeid and Labour Negotiations, 1.3 Publieke Bedrijfsorganisaties (PBO), 1.4 Arbeid's Bureaus or Employment Offices, 1.5 Sectoral Social Security Implementation Organizations, 1.6 Co-determination; 2. The Roots of the Dutch Model; 3. Current Status; 4. Evaluation: 4.1 Harmony, 4.2 Assisting the weak and maintaining employment, 4.3 More Effective Decision Making, 4.4 Delegation of Governmental Powers, 4.5 Mixed Responsibility, 4.6 Financial Responsibility, 4.7 Responsibilities of Organizations, 4.8 Undemocratic, 4.9 Monopolistic, 4.10 Inefficient, 4.11 Conclusion; 5. Transferability: 5.1 Mentality, 5.2 Christianity, 5.3 Labour unions, 5.4 Business Enterprises, 5.5 Geography, 5.6 Political Structure, 6. The Dutch Model--Conclusion; 7. Nijkamp's Cooperation Model; 8. Conclusion
CHAPTER 11 Political Economics to the Honour of God 1. Point of Departure; 2. Other Christian Principles and Concepts; 3. Goals of a Christian approach to political-economy; 4. A conditional preference for free markets and free enterprise; 5. Government action where necessary; 6. Issue-by-issue; 7. Stewardship of God�s Property; 8. Government�s right to tax; 9. Expropriation; 10. Public and Social Goods; 11. Regu- lation; 12. Competition; 13. Incentives; 14. No obvious �Third Way�;
APPENDIX A Bibliography of Persons, Organizations and Publications together with some methodological comments
APPENDIX B The GPV's Guidelines for National-Reformed Politics
APPENDIX C Other Dutch Christian Parties
APPENDIX D The Cultural Mandate
APPENDIX E Primary Public Projects
APPENDIX F The GPV and the Market
-Postscript: Market Mechanism--Creation Ordinance?
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