Final answer:
The principle that individuals in the business community have the right to make money aligns with the Principle of Individual Right. Milton Friedman's essay in 1970 emphasized the moral responsibility of businesses to increase profits. However, current debates suggest that corporate rights must be balanced with moral responsibilities to various stakeholders.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question posed by the student revolves around the ethical considerations of individuals in the business community making money and the moral reasoning behind the right to engage in profit-seeking activities. In the context of business ethics, this pertains to a broader discussion of whether the freedoms of a company to make profit can or should be restricted for various moral reasons.
In 1970, Milton Friedman published an essay asserting that the primary moral responsibility of business is to increase profits. This aligns with the Principle of Individual Right, which suggests that individuals and, by extension, businesses have the right to pursue their own interests so long as they do not infringe on the equal freedom of others.
However, the discourse on corporate status in the United States indicates an ongoing debate about the balance between corporate rights and ethical responsibilities towards various stakeholders—such as shareholders, employees, customers, and the broader community. It questions whether the legal rights of corporations imply certain moral responsibilities, highlighting the importance of considering interests beyond just profit.