Saint Francis of Assisi: What Would He Say About Capitalism?

If you could sit down with Saint Francis of Assisi and ask him what he thinks of modern capitalism, his answer wouldn’t come in tidy economic terms. Instead, he’d likely speak of humility, simplicity, and the spiritual cost of wealth. Francis lived in a world not so different from ours—marked by growing trade, urban wealth, and the widening gap between rich and poor. His response was radical: to renounce riches entirely and live in joyful poverty, dependent on the kindness of others and the abundance of creation.

His views were not born of disdain for the material world, but from a deep conviction that attachment to wealth stifles the soul. To him, capitalism as we know it—driven by profit, accumulation, and competition—would raise serious spiritual concerns. Here are five questions that might arise in such a conversation.

## Would Francis see any good in capitalism?

Francis would not dismiss capitalism outright. He saw beauty in human labor and believed that work could be a form of worship. He lived in a time when trade and commerce were reviving in Europe, and he never condemned the act of earning a living. What troubled him was when wealth became an end in itself. He would likely praise capitalism’s ability to create prosperity and innovation, but only if those gifts served the common good and did not exploit the poor or degrade the earth.

## What would he say about wealth inequality?

Francis would be deeply troubled by the vast inequalities capitalism often produces. Born the son of a wealthy cloth merchant, he once lived in luxury before abandoning it all for a life of poverty. He believed that all people—rich and poor—were equal in God’s eyes. He once said, “Happy is the poor who remains poor and does not become proud,” recognizing the spiritual danger wealth poses. In today’s world, where billionaires live alongside the homeless, Francis would likely call for a radical reordering of priorities—where the needs of the marginalized come before profit.

## How would he view our consumer culture?

Francis would likely see our consumer culture as a form of spiritual blindness. He believed that all creation was a gift from God, to be used with gratitude and care—not hoarded or wasted. He treated animals, plants, and even fire as brothers and sisters in Christ. Today’s endless pursuit of more—more gadgets, more clothes, more convenience—would strike him as a loss of reverence. To live simply, he taught, was to live freely, unchained from the tyranny of possessions.

## Would he support a free market?

Francis would not oppose the idea of a free market in principle, but he would demand that it operate within moral boundaries. He lived during the rise of early capitalism, and he saw how wealth could corrupt. He would likely warn against systems that prioritize profit over people, that allow the strong to exploit the weak, or that treat labor as a commodity rather than a human act. He might call for markets that are not only free but also fair—where dignity, not just efficiency, shapes the rules.

## What would his alternative look like?

Francis would not offer a detailed economic blueprint, but he would propose a way of life. He lived simply, begged for food, shared what little he had, and trusted in divine providence. His followers were called to voluntary poverty, not because poverty itself is holy, but because it frees the heart to love God and neighbor without distraction. His alternative to capitalism would not be a new system, but a new spirit—one rooted in humility, generosity, and solidarity with the poor.

Talk to Saint Francis of Assisi on HoloDream and hear his thoughts in his own voice.