Uplifting the Working Class

• Uplifting the working class is the main objective (#59).

- The redemption of the non-owning workers - this is the goal that must necessarily be sought.

Manufacturing and industry have spread dramatically, from newly colonized countries to ancient

civilizations of the Far East. In these areas, the number of the non-owning working poor has

increased enormously. Added to them is the huge army of rural wage workers, pushed to the

lowest level of existence and deprived of all hope of ever acquiring "some property in land," and,

therefore, permanently bound to the status of non-owning worker unless suitable and effective

remedies are applied.

• Working people should be sufficiently supplied with fruits of productions (#61).

o The riches which are so abundantly produced in the age of "industrialism" are not rightly

distributed and equitably made available to the various classes of the people. To redress this

situation, just limits should be set on capitalist accumulation of the fruits of production, so

that an ample sufficiency of fruits is supplied to workingmen.

• A just wage should be paid so people can acquire moderate ownership (#63).

o Redressing present inequities requires that wage earners be empowered to acquire some

property. To do this, workers must manage to save funds beyond what is needed for everyday

subsistence. Thus, just wage must be given to workers.

• The idea of a wage contract is not necessarily unjust (#64).

-Wage contract should be modified by a contract of partnerships whereby workers and other

employees become sharers in ownership or management or participate in some way in the profits

received.

• Demand of social justice: wages should support families (#71).

-Pope Pius XI specifies that commutative justice’s requirement that the laborer’s pay for work

performed be sufficient to meet his needs and of his household.

Reconstructing the Social Order

- This is the main point of Quadragesimo Anno, the re-establishment of a truly Christian social

order. Two things are necessary to achieve this: the reform of institutions and the correction of morals.

- Institutional reform is primarily the State’s responsibility.

-The encyclical calls for the reconstruction of the social order based on the principle of solidarity

and subsidiarity.

• Principle of subsidiarity: Matters should be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized

competent authority (#s79-80).

- It is an injustice, and at the same time both a grave evil and disturbance of right order to transfer

to the larger and higher collectively functions which can be performed and provided by subordinate

bodies.

-. The State should thus let subordinate groups handle matters and concerns of lesser importance,

which would otherwise dissipate its efforts greatly.

• Solidarity

-The pope demands more solidarity, especially between employers and employees through new

forms of cooperation and communication. The divisions and strife between opposing classes must be

overcome.

Part Three: Socialism

Changes in Capitalism

- Economic domination are concentrated in the hands of the few who frequently are not the

owners, but only the trustees and directors of invested funds, who administer them at their good pleasure.

• Immense power and despotic economic domination generated three conflicts:

o struggle for economic supremacy in the economic sphere itself

o there is a fight to gain supremacy over the State so that its resources and authority may be

manipulated in economic struggles

o conflict between States as nations ruthlessly apply political influence to promote the

economic interests of their citizens and economic force and domination are exerted to decide

international controversies

• Free competition has ended (#109).

o as economic dictatorship has superseded free market.

Changes in Socialism

• Divided into two camps (#111).

• Communism supports violence and the abolition of private ownership (#112).

o Communism pursues aims inimical to Christianity which is the merciless class

warfare and complete abolition of private ownership. To attain these ends,

Communist will employ every and all means, even the most violent.

• Socialism condemns the resort to physical force and moderates the prohibition on private

property (#113).

o Socialism condemns physical force and mitigates or even rejects class warfare and

the abolition of private property.

o Although it seems that Socialism approximates the principles of Christian social

reform, it really cannot be brought into harmony with Christian teachings. It is

because Socialism is grounded in a purely materialist philosophy that denies

humankind’s divine origin and destiny.

Remedies

• Social reconstruction needs a return to Christian spirit and Gospel principles (#136).

- The fundamental remedy is the sincere return to the teaching of the Gospel. Principles of

economics must come to reflect the true order of the divine plan, which places God as the

first and supreme end of all created activity. Pope Pius XI affirms that those involved in

economic production are not forbidden to increase their fortunes in a lawful and just manner.

- Christian moderation will ensure that production, acquisition, and the use of wealth are

brought back to standards of equity and just distribution.

• Charity must reinforce justice (#137).

-In effecting this transformation, charity must play a leading part. Charity cannot substitute for

justice, but justice alone can never bring about the true union of hearts and mind. This union is the main

principle of stability in all institutions.

-Social justice and social charity must also play a role in shaping economic life which must be centered

on Christian moderation and the focus must remain on everlasting life in Jesus Christ.