‘Naturaliter homo homini amicus est’: economy, happiness and relationships in Aquinas’ thought

Research on relational goods within the sphere of economics and happiness is gaining attention. This paper provides an historical-philosophical contribution to the inquiries on relationality in economics. While Aristotle and the civil economy tradition have been analysed as two fundamental sources for understanding relational goods, this paper demonstrates that the Dominican theologian and philosopher, Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), can be rightly listed as a third source. Aquinas’ reflections on happiness, relationality and wealth provide an alternative framework, connected but irreducible to the frameworks of Aristotle and the civil economists, where the central role of genuine relationality emerges within the economic domain. The paper concludes by providing reflections on the relevance of Aquinas’ perspective for contemporary debate, stressing the role of institutions which favour or discourage relational goods.