From the Expansion of Economic Rationality to Its Re-Nationalization: Ethics, Purpose, and Geopolitics

Economic rationality has evolved significantly over the past decades, shifting from profit maximization to stakeholder theory and, more recently, to the emergence of purpose as a guiding principle for businesses. This shift reflects a broadening of economic intelligence, incorporating ethical, social, and environmental dimensions into corporate decision-making. However, rising geopolitical polarization is reshaping this paradigm: while companies increasingly embrace sustainability and inclusivity, the “cunning of economic reason” (borrowing from Hegel) now appears to align purpose with national strategic interests. This raises a fundamental question: is economic rationality truly evolving, or is it being reabsorbed into the logic of power?

This paper adopts a moral philosophy and business ethics perspective, critically engaging with the frameworks proposed by Robert Edward Freeman, Michael E. Porter, and Mark R. Kramer. It examines how the evolution from stakeholder theory to shared value is now undergoing a further transformation, where business purpose is increasingly shaped by geopolitical imperatives. The analysis problematizes these classical models, showing that we are moving beyond them—not by returning to Milton Friedman’s assertion that “the social responsibility of business is to increase its profits,” but by entering a new paradigm where corporate ethics must reconcile global responsibilities with national allegiances. Case studies of SpaceX, Anduril Industries, and Palantir Technologies illustrate how ethical frameworks are being redefined within this tension.

The findings indicate that the boundary between corporations and States is increasingly blurred: major tech firms not only generate economic and social value but also function as geopolitical assets, reinforcing national sovereignty through technological dominance. Palantir, for instance, exemplifies how economic intelligence becomes an extension of State power, merging AI, data control, and defense strategy. In this scenario, economic intelligence is shifting from an emancipatory force to a mechanism of national hegemony. In the uncertainty about whether purpose should prioritize the global or the local, lies the core tension between ethics and realism.

This paper highlights a critical dilemma: as economic intelligence becomes increasingly tied to State interests, corporate ethics risk losing their autonomy, turning into instruments of digital raison d’État. If shared value is reduced to strategic advantage, can we still consider this an evolution of economic rationality, or is it a strategic involution, where corporate ethics are absorbed into power politics? In an era dominated by AI and big tech, preserving an authentic business ethic requires careful scrutiny of regulatory frameworks and cultural narratives to ensure that purpose does not become a new expression of 21st-century realpolitik.