The SEVEN Fund is sponsoring a global competition inviting
discourse on the morality of profit. During this yearlong program, we seek
to assemble the definitive collection of essays on this topic. Writers are
asked to submit essays of up to 3,000 words. Initial submissions will be
accepted through February 28. SEVEN will award top honors to three essays,
with a grand prize of $20,000, a second prize of $10,000, and a third
prize of $5,000. The best pieces will be collected into a manuscript,
which is intended for publication, and the program will culminate with an
international conference.
A discussion of the morality of profit is timely. In the current global
economic crisis, some critics have identified greed camouflaged as profit
as the central culprit. This raises important questions such as:
* Are markets moral?
* Is profit a means, or an end?
* What is the relationship between greed and profit?
* Can the pursuit of profit be understood as a good in itself or a
necessary evil?
* What are our core ethical responsibilities as we seek profits?
* What are the implications of the morality of profit to the cause of
international development, and enterprise solutions to poverty?
The debate on profit is polarized along a spectrum, ranging from the
pursuit of profit as the root of societal problems, to suggesting that
profit is the only responsible measure of how to deploy resources and
solve problems. In practical terms, we know that economic transformation
requires invigorated markets that generate substantial profits. These
tensions drive us to invite considered reflection on these issues. We are
looking for submissions that examine all questions surrounding the
morality of profit; that elevate the discussion; and that illuminate
inflection points in the broader debate by exploring how this tension
informs the key issues of our time (e.g. understanding the economic
crisis, solving global poverty, stimulating entrepreneurship in poor
countries, the environment, etc.).
SEVEN welcomes the submission of essays that explore the morality of
profit through the lens of diverse cultural, religious, philosophical, and
academic traditions.
Please visit the sponsor's Web site for additional information and to
apply.