Martin Rhonheimer is a philosopher, priest, and co-founder and president of the Austrian Institute of Economics and Social Philosophy in Vienna. From 1990 to 2020, he taught as a professor of ethics and political philosophy at the Pontifical University of Santa Croce in Rome, where he remains affiliated as a visiting professor to this day.
His scholarly work focuses on issues in economic and social philosophy. He pays particular attention to the Austrian School of Economics, its political-philosophical and socio-ethical foundations, and its significance for Christian social teaching.
Rhonheimer describes himself as a “Catholic liberal” and advocates for the political primacy of individual freedom and a market-based economic system. He is critical of what he sees as an overreaching welfare state. Rather, he views capitalism—when properly understood—as an essential approach to solving fundamental societal and social issues.
As the author of numerous scholarly publications and books—some of which have been translated into several languages—Martin Rhonheimer has been exploring the relationship between freedom, the economy, ethics, and social responsibility for decades. His philosophical perspectives open the door to fundamental discussions about the economic and social order of our time.
