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Papal Economics: The Catholic Church on Democratic Capitalism, from Rerum Nevarum to Caritas in Veritate
“For a long time to come, this book may well be the definitive work on the economic teaching of the modern popes." —MICHAEL NOVAK
The Catholic Church has long been one of the most important—but least understood—authorities on capitalism and democracy.
The confusion and controversy didn't begin with Pope Francis. For well over a century popes have offered profound reflections on the economic and political order in their social encyclicals. But this estimable intellectual tradition has often been misunderstood, with partisan groups variously proclaiming Catholic social teaching to be left-wing or right-wing, pro-socialist or pro-capitalist or even pro–“third way.”
Papal Economics corrects the record. Father Maciej Zięba’s incisive analysis shows that the Church displays a profound understanding of democracy and—perhaps more surprising—strong support for free markets. As Father Zięba demonstrates, popes have explicitly rejected socialism while praising a democratic state and market economy.
Of course, this praise is not unqualified. Papal Economics shows how the Church, especially through John Paul’s teachings, distinguishes true democracy from false, and praiseworthy capitalism from the kind to be rejected. Moving beyond the narrow confines of secular discourse, Catholic social teaching highlights the dangers that arise when the market and the state are elevated to absolutes in themselves—when man’s spiritual dimensions are subordinated to his material ones. Ultimately, anyone who cares about free markets and democracy must understand, and defend, the foundations on which they are built. For as John Paul suggested, in a world without truth, freedom loses its meaning, the market loses its efficiency, and democracy yields to statism.
The Catholic Church has long been one of the most important—but least understood—authorities on capitalism and democracy.
The confusion and controversy didn't begin with Pope Francis. For well over a century popes have offered profound reflections on the economic and political order in their social encyclicals. But this estimable intellectual tradition has often been misunderstood, with partisan groups variously proclaiming Catholic social teaching to be left-wing or right-wing, pro-socialist or pro-capitalist or even pro–“third way.”
Papal Economics corrects the record. Father Maciej Zięba’s incisive analysis shows that the Church displays a profound understanding of democracy and—perhaps more surprising—strong support for free markets. As Father Zięba demonstrates, popes have explicitly rejected socialism while praising a democratic state and market economy.
Of course, this praise is not unqualified. Papal Economics shows how the Church, especially through John Paul’s teachings, distinguishes true democracy from false, and praiseworthy capitalism from the kind to be rejected. Moving beyond the narrow confines of secular discourse, Catholic social teaching highlights the dangers that arise when the market and the state are elevated to absolutes in themselves—when man’s spiritual dimensions are subordinated to his material ones. Ultimately, anyone who cares about free markets and democracy must understand, and defend, the foundations on which they are built. For as John Paul suggested, in a world without truth, freedom loses its meaning, the market loses its efficiency, and democracy yields to statism.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 27, 2018
The endorsement on the front cover, calling this book “the definitive work on the economic teaching of modern popes,” is an overstatement, to say the least. The first chapter provides a broad overview of all “economic” encyclicals of the modern age (late 19th & 20th century) from Rerum Novarum to Centesimus Annus, but the book is hardly large enough to include an in-depth treatment of each. Rather than provide a thoroughly researched analysis of the development of economics in Catholic social teaching alongside the encyclicals, there is repetitive lip-service to the implicit endorsement of capitalism found while reading behind the lines of the popes’ writings, mostly punctuated with references to Michael Novak and George Weigel. There is a curious absence of the wide range of expert commentators that could have provided a less one-dimensional rendering of Catholic thought on economics.
The remaining 75% of the book is a straightforward explication of John Paul II’s Centesimus Annus, with 3 chapters dedicated to that one encyclical alone. The last chapter treats Benedict XVI’s Caritas in Veritate as an afterthought, with more petty criticism than real analysis. While there is no doubt that JPII was influential in so many arenas, the author would have done well to title the book “How the Economic Thought of JPII Built Upon His Predecessors,” rather than claim to set out a comprehensive vision of economics in papal teaching in the last century.
If nothing else, this book has spurred me to re-read Rerum Novarum, etc. in sequence to look at elements other than capitalism. “Papal Economics” should not be used as a primer on modern papal economic thought, but may be a useful introduction to Centesimus Annus.
The remaining 75% of the book is a straightforward explication of John Paul II’s Centesimus Annus, with 3 chapters dedicated to that one encyclical alone. The last chapter treats Benedict XVI’s Caritas in Veritate as an afterthought, with more petty criticism than real analysis. While there is no doubt that JPII was influential in so many arenas, the author would have done well to title the book “How the Economic Thought of JPII Built Upon His Predecessors,” rather than claim to set out a comprehensive vision of economics in papal teaching in the last century.
If nothing else, this book has spurred me to re-read Rerum Novarum, etc. in sequence to look at elements other than capitalism. “Papal Economics” should not be used as a primer on modern papal economic thought, but may be a useful introduction to Centesimus Annus.
December 20, 2022
Muy bueno, imprescindible para entender las encíclicas sociales.
August 3, 2020
Determining the papal views of anything political or economical is frequently a task that brings out the views of the writer more than the views of the pope. When it comes to interpreting any sort of authoritative text, it is hard for us not to interpret the text in such a way that it corresponds to our own views. To be sure, the author does find much approval in what the popes say about democratic capitalism, but it is by no means a straightforward equation of the author's own views with those of the popes. Indeed, the author himself finds a great deal of nuance and complexity in the way that popes have viewed political economy over the past century or so, and in exploring that complexity the author comes to a sensible and honest view and points out the concerns that popes have had about the sin and corruption that were in the world and the sort of solutions that made the best possible result for humanity so as to avoid both grinding poverty and exploitation but also to avoid the sins of envy upon which socialism of any kind is based. This is by no means a simple task.
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long. It begins with a foreword by Michael Novak that discusses the friendship between the author and how it was that the author's work began to attract attention in the West. After that the author introduces the book by talking about the relationship between capitalism, freedom, and truth. This leads to a discussion of a brief history of democratic capitalism in Catholic social teaching (1). After that the author spends some time on chapters dealing with subjects like political community (2), economic life (3), and the primacy of culture (4) that set the context in which capitalism has been viewed by popes throughout the late 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries. It goes without saying that this approach is of the greatest interest to those readers who care what the popes have to say about a given subject and who have an interest in Catholic social teaching and the best possible fate of a world that has fallen to great amounts of sin. The book then ends with a conclusion that discusses the trail of Catholic teaching in papal encylopedials from Centesimus Annus to Caritas in Veritate, as well as an afterword that talks about Pope Francis and the crisis of the modern economy as well as the failures of liberation theology.
This particular book was an enjoyable one to read for several reasons. The author himself did a great job at discussing the papal economic writings that have occurred periodically since the late 19th century and showing the way that they differed from each other in the subject matter that they discussed or the approach that they took or the global context or even the personality of the pope himself that affected the way that he dealt with the subjects of economics and politics. What is also noteworthy is the way that this book ends up celebrating the economics of Wilhelm Ropke, who I have recently become much more familiar with [1]. It is always nice to be able to appreciate a love of economics being placed in its proper context as being subservient to a larger view of charity and generosity for society as a whole rather than seeing economics viewed as the central activity for all humanity as it is by Marxists. As is frequently the case in life, having the proper context makes a big difference in coming to sensible conclusions, as this book does.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
This book is a bit more than 200 pages long. It begins with a foreword by Michael Novak that discusses the friendship between the author and how it was that the author's work began to attract attention in the West. After that the author introduces the book by talking about the relationship between capitalism, freedom, and truth. This leads to a discussion of a brief history of democratic capitalism in Catholic social teaching (1). After that the author spends some time on chapters dealing with subjects like political community (2), economic life (3), and the primacy of culture (4) that set the context in which capitalism has been viewed by popes throughout the late 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries. It goes without saying that this approach is of the greatest interest to those readers who care what the popes have to say about a given subject and who have an interest in Catholic social teaching and the best possible fate of a world that has fallen to great amounts of sin. The book then ends with a conclusion that discusses the trail of Catholic teaching in papal encylopedials from Centesimus Annus to Caritas in Veritate, as well as an afterword that talks about Pope Francis and the crisis of the modern economy as well as the failures of liberation theology.
This particular book was an enjoyable one to read for several reasons. The author himself did a great job at discussing the papal economic writings that have occurred periodically since the late 19th century and showing the way that they differed from each other in the subject matter that they discussed or the approach that they took or the global context or even the personality of the pope himself that affected the way that he dealt with the subjects of economics and politics. What is also noteworthy is the way that this book ends up celebrating the economics of Wilhelm Ropke, who I have recently become much more familiar with [1]. It is always nice to be able to appreciate a love of economics being placed in its proper context as being subservient to a larger view of charity and generosity for society as a whole rather than seeing economics viewed as the central activity for all humanity as it is by Marxists. As is frequently the case in life, having the proper context makes a big difference in coming to sensible conclusions, as this book does.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2020...
February 13, 2014
This is a very good introduction to the social teaching of Pope John Paul II, particularly as it is presented in Centesimus Annus. Excellent treatment of the theological anthropology that underlies the Church's teaching on society and the economy, and on the crucial role of culture. It certainly shows a favorable emphasis on the teachings on the free market system, and could have been better balanced with greater attention to the teachings on human development in Popes Paul and Benedict.
Anyone with a bit of theological background would significantly benefit from this surprisingly readable book, particularly in light of the recent media distortions of the remarks by Pope Francis.
Anyone with a bit of theological background would significantly benefit from this surprisingly readable book, particularly in light of the recent media distortions of the remarks by Pope Francis.
June 13, 2017
Interesting survey of how the various Popes throughout history responded and carried on a dialogue within the church to help shape politics/ policy. The Catholic Church is very proactive about using their messages concerning social doctrine to influence and reshape culture (which in turn impacts capitalism). Most lasting lesson learned from the book: Without Truth freedom dissolves & man is exposed to violence, corruption.
June 2, 2014
It was good. But i thought that it spent too much time on John Paul's ideas versus those of the other popes.
February 10, 2015
Not too bad, a little dry at times. Some good information and perspective.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews