Chrematistic

see also: Etymology of Chrematistic

The chrematistic (of khréma , richness, possession) is a concept created by Aristote to describe the frame of mind of that which accumulates the Capital for its pleasure. Aristote condemns this attitude.

Aristote ( circa 384 - 322 front J. - C.) watch in many texts of which the Ethical in Nicomaque the basic difference between the economic one and the chrematistic one. The chrematistic one is art to grow rich, to acquire richnesses.

Two forms of this concept there are found:

the " chrematistic naturelle" or " nécessaire" ;
the " chrématistique" itself or " commerciale".

The first joins the need for the provisioning of the family. One cannot disparage it, because it is necessary to survival. One distinguishes in this chrematistic natural natural art with the clean direction, that connected to the direct taking possession or the use of the work of the slaves for autosuffire, of natural art by the exchange necessary. This last is essential since the Autosuffisance remains difficult to maintain. Aristote admits the Troc and exchanges it practiced by the Monnaie like important, but insists on the fact that the latter should not be accumulated, that it should be used only to carry out the exchange.

According to Aristote, accumulation of money for the currency (the " chrématistique" said " commerciale") is an activity against nature and which dehumanizes those which are devoted to it: according to the example of Plato, he thus condemns the taste of the Profit and the accumulation of richnesses. The Commerce substitutes the money for the goods; the wear creates money starting from the money; the merchant does not produce anything: all are condemnable from a philosophical point of view.

Although Aristote treats the chrematistic one like a whole of tricks and strategies of acquisition of the richnesses to allow an increase in the political power, he will always condemn it as such and will give a place much more important to the economy: it is about this point of view of a fundamental author in the Antiquité, and which will have a very great influence during all the medieval period .

The Catholic church throughout the Moyen-âge takes again the critic aristotelician against this economic control and declares it contrary with the religion. Many authors think that the implementation of these doctrines was an obstacle with economic development.

Karl Marx in famous pages of the Capital carries out a second analysis of the consequences on the people of what it names auris crowned famed (cursed thirst for gold) of the Latin name given to this devouring passion of the money for the money.

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