15 September 2005
DOES CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING ENDORSE CAPITALISM?
Controversy raged recently in the pages of the national daily newspaper "The Australian" in relation to the research claims made by the St Vincent de Paul Society that inequality is growing in Australia and that the poor are becoming worse off.
The research findings were challenged by columnist Christopher Pearson who in turn was reflecting opinions expressed by the Centre for Independent Studies (an Australian 'think tank' which argues in favour of a free enterprise economy and minimal government intervention in the lives of individuals)
In arguing his case, Pearson accused the 'Vinnies' of being anti-free market and thereby in contravention of Catholic Social Teaching. He claimed that the late pope John Paul II endorsed capitalism when after asking the question as to whether Capitalism was the only way forward following the collapse of communism, he wrote in his encyclical 'Centesimus Annus' published in 1971:- "If by capitalism is meant an economic system which recognises the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production as well as free human creativity in the economic sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative. "
However as Fr Joe Caddy of Centacare, Victoria pointed out when commenting on the controversy, the pope went on to say (in a passage that was not quoted by Pearson)"But if by capitalism is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality and which sees it as a particular aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the reply is certainly negative."
John Paul II also went on to warn of the danger of 'a radical capitalistic ideology' and 'the free development of market forces'.
As Fr Caddy points out "Clearly the full teaching of John Paul is a long way from the unequivocal embracing of capitalism in Catholic Social Teaching. …. In fact the Church’s position on economic systems is pragmatic. Economic systems are always to be at the service of human dignity, community and the common good. It is for that reason that in determining access to essential human goods and services, such as food, water, education, shelter, security and warmth, and access to a level of opportunity commensurate to the society in which we live, such as affordable banking, credit and communications, the market cannot be the sole arbiter."
The research findings were challenged by columnist Christopher Pearson who in turn was reflecting opinions expressed by the Centre for Independent Studies (an Australian 'think tank' which argues in favour of a free enterprise economy and minimal government intervention in the lives of individuals)
In arguing his case, Pearson accused the 'Vinnies' of being anti-free market and thereby in contravention of Catholic Social Teaching. He claimed that the late pope John Paul II endorsed capitalism when after asking the question as to whether Capitalism was the only way forward following the collapse of communism, he wrote in his encyclical 'Centesimus Annus' published in 1971:- "If by capitalism is meant an economic system which recognises the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production as well as free human creativity in the economic sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative. "
However as Fr Joe Caddy of Centacare, Victoria pointed out when commenting on the controversy, the pope went on to say (in a passage that was not quoted by Pearson)"But if by capitalism is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality and which sees it as a particular aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the reply is certainly negative."
John Paul II also went on to warn of the danger of 'a radical capitalistic ideology' and 'the free development of market forces'.
As Fr Caddy points out "Clearly the full teaching of John Paul is a long way from the unequivocal embracing of capitalism in Catholic Social Teaching. …. In fact the Church’s position on economic systems is pragmatic. Economic systems are always to be at the service of human dignity, community and the common good. It is for that reason that in determining access to essential human goods and services, such as food, water, education, shelter, security and warmth, and access to a level of opportunity commensurate to the society in which we live, such as affordable banking, credit and communications, the market cannot be the sole arbiter."
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