A Very Short Intro on (Recent) Papal Teaching Concerning Socialism

The quoted passages within the block quote above all come from John Paul II’s encyclical, as cited by paragraph numbers. There is more to Dussel’s study and I heartily recommend you access his work for more, especially The Ethics of Liberation.

Don’t forget that John Paul II also said: “Look, I can surely say by now that I’ve got the antibodies to communism inside me. But when I think of consumer society, with all its tragedies, I wonder which of the two systems is better.” He also said, “If present day capitalism is improved, it is in great part because of the good things realized by communism: the fight against unemployment, concern for the poor. Capitalism, on the other hand, is individualistic.”

That being said, let us consider Paul VI.

Paul VI: anti-socialist?

Paul VI’s 1971 encyclical letter to Cardinal Maurice Roy of Canada, Octogesima Adveniens, does something that other Bishops of the time did, and even before the encyclical while attending the Second Vatican Council, namely, admitting that there are distinctions to be allowed for socialism. It actually comes from the same paragraph the American Enterprise Institute article pulls from. Actually, it begins in the sentence where the AEI quote ends:

​Distinctions must be made to guide concrete choices between the various levels of expression of socialism: a generous aspiration and a seeking for a more just society, historical movements with a political organization and aim, and an ideology which claims to give a complete and self-sufficient picture of man. Nevertheless, these distinctions must not lead one to consider such levels as completely separate and independent. The concrete link which, according to circumstances, exists between them must be clearly marked out. This insight will enable Christians to see the degree of commitment possible along these lines, while safeguarding the values, especially those of liberty, responsibility and openness to the spiritual, which guarantee the integral development of man. (31)

Perhaps someday I’ll compile a huge treasure chest of quotes from the Catholic social imagination that would bring some relief to those considering the merits of democratic socialism and great anxiety to those who would identify as pro-capitalist? If you want to send them along to me then contact me through my homepage I’ll share them in a post.

For now, a word for John XXIII.

John XXIII: anti-socialist?

It is easy to see that John XXIII rejected the pure materialism in an atheistic socialism. We might also note that in Pacem In Terris, John XXIII writes that each person:

Has the right to bodily integrity and to the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and, finally, the necessary social services. In consequence, he has the right to be looked after in the event of ill health; disability stemming from his work; widowhood; old age; enforced unemployment; or whenever through no fault of his own he is deprived of the means of livelihood (11).

Who has it as a primary responsibility to make sure these rights are promoted? For John XXIII, it’s the state (starts at paragraph 60). Doesn’t John know that the market will take care of everything? What is he, a socialist?

In conclusion

Let us remember that the American Enterprise Institute and, perhaps, other manifestations of capitalist apologetic institutions – whether led by priests or otherwise -, aren’t always a safe place to learn Catholic teaching on capitalism and socialism, etc. Perhaps, it may be said, one could go there to un-learn Catholic teaching.

I know it’s a challenge to go through a lot of material in the Church’s teaching, but remember that such pursuits are worthy and fruitful. Know that capitalists would discourage these pursuits, I am reminded especially of Hayek and Mises, not only because they’re inefficient or non-lucrative in their view, but will teach you about the Christian virtues that contradict the capitalist way of life. Instead they may resort to posting short, unhelpful, non-perspective-giving quotes to keep you in their trap. Or, instead, they may just produce their own summaries of encyclicals or go so far as highlighting, for you, what is authentic teaching in an encyclical and what is not. A pro-capitalist effort, such as these, relies on your vulnerability and abuses your trust, insisting that they’re simply making life easier for you – which capitalism could never do.

Do remember, this isn’t meant to provide a complete treatment on Catholic thought, socialism, and capitalism – it’s just a subtle and modest correction of the AEI article linked above.

I forgot to mention. Remember to look at Laborem Exercens to learn about unemployment as an evil, and how the Church tasks the state with planning (not in a  centralized fashion) to avoid or diminish its effects. Also, John Paul II, in the same encyclical, ties the right to employment to the Universal destination of goods, and expresses that it is a ‘right to life’ situation. Maybe AEI will quote that section in a future article?

*Concerning the Bergoglio quote beginning: “”What the Church rejects is the spirit that has encouraged capitalism, utilizing capital to subject and oppress man…” This is my translation of Bergoglio’s Spanish original, which reads: “Lo que censura la Iglesia es el espiritu que ha animado al capitalismo, utilizando al capital para someter y oprimir al hombre, sin contemplar la dignidad humana de los trabajadores ni la función social de la economia, distorsionando los valores éticos de la justicia social y el bien comun.”

** This post was originally published on Keith MIchael Estrada’s “Proper Nomenclature” Blog on the 1st of December, 2015.