Michael Novak

Catholic Philosopher, Journalist, Novelist, and Diplomat

Michael Novak (1933-2017) was an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.

The author of more than 40 books on the philosophy and theology of culture, Novak is most widely known for his book The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (1982).

Featured Work

Detail from book cover.

OCT 6, 2004 Transcript

The Universal Hunger for Liberty: Why the Clash of Civilizations Is Not Inevitable

Novak insists that concepts of political, economic, and religious liberty can be found in the Qur'an.

"No human being, whether in solitude or in mass assembled, should be entirely trusted."

JUL 30, 1977 Article

An Underpraised and Undervalued System

Novak invokes what he calls the creed of democratic capitalism: "(a) individual freedom and the methods of trial-and-error; (b) the innate selfishness and corruptibility of ...