The exchange of goods and services has always been an integral component of human beings relationships. The custody and management of resources, the production of profit and wealth have been key elements for the development of the economy. Throughout the centuries the Judeo-Christian tradition has fostered and developed a sense of responsibility for the conscientious use of the material and human resources of the earth. Catholic social thinking in particular has espoused the social dimension of the market. It has consistently called attention to the human and societal quality of all economic activity. Methods of generating wealth therefore deserve debate and exploration from an ethical, particularly social-ethical angle.