Catholic social thought, the market and public policy: Twenty‐first century challenges Edited by PhilipBooth and André AzevedoAlves. St Mary's University Press. 2024. 302 pp. £40.00 (hbk). ISBN: 978‐1916786004. £28.00 (ebk). ISBN: 978‐1916786028
Year: 2025
Type: book-review
Abstract: Catholic Social Thought (CST) in its modern form originated in the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum which was issued by Pope Leo XIII.It has the subtitle On the Conditions of Labour and it was drawn up in the context of the perceived conflict between capital and labour and the hard conditions of the working class.It opposed both socialism and unrestrained capitalism and it affirmed the legitimacy of both private property and trade unions.It was succeeded by in 1931 by Pope Pius XI's Quadragesimo Anno, by Pope John XXIII's Mater et Magistra in 1961 and by Pope John Paul II's Centisimus Annus in 1991.These latter encyclicals both elaborated and modified Rerum Novarum in the light of changing conditions and ideas.Thus Quadragesimo Anno makes a modest move towards supporting the corporate state.Still, CST should not be seen as a 'third way' between capitalism and socialism but rather as setting out general principles for policymakers.
Source: Economic Affairs
DOI: 10.1111/ecaf.12657
Author: Robert C B Miller
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4407412792