Fundamentals of Prosperity

There is no value at all in the bank-book which we so carefully cherish. There is no value at all in those deeds and mortgages upon which we depend so completely. The value rests first, in the integrity of the lawyers, clerks and stenographers who draw up the papers; secondly, in the integrity of the officers who sign the documents; thirdly, in the integrity of the courts and judges which would enable us to enforce our claims; and finally, in the integrity of the community which would determine whether or not the orders of the court will be executed. -from “Honesty or Steel Doors?” It was first published in 1920, but its message continues to resonate strongly today: the American ideals of thrift, imagination, honesty, vision, and “the gospel of service” have gotten lost in the counting of lucre. Roger W. Babson, a master statistician and one of the early must-reads of business self-help literature, here explores how religious faith can serve as the basis for reintegrating the values of industriousness, cooperation, and other genuinely human resources into the commercial arena. Far from a sermon, this fascinating book highlights how alike today’s business world is to that of the early 20th century… and how we can improve that arena to the benefit of all. OF INTEREST TO: readers of business philosophy, students of self-help movements, historians of American Christianity ALSO AVAILABLE FROM COSIMO CLASSICS: Babson’s Business Fundamentals: How to Become a Successful Business Man American entrepreneur, statistician, and author ROGER WARD BABSON (1875-1967) founded Massachusetts’ Babson College, in 1919, and the state’s Gravity Research Foundation in 1948. A prolific writer who explored a wide variety of topics; his books include, The Future of the Churches, Religion and Business, and Gravity: Our Enemy No. 1.