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Publication date: 1 December 1998

Gladys W. Gruenberg

The author traces over a century of Catholic social teaching from Leo XIII to John Paul II, emphasizing in particular workplace democracy and labor unions. Until John Paul II…

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Abstract

The author traces over a century of Catholic social teaching from Leo XIII to John Paul II, emphasizing in particular workplace democracy and labor unions. Until John Paul II, Gruenberg argues, the Church’s teaching on labor organizations was deliberately ambiguous. Leo XIII had the greatest problem because of the extreme diversity among union movements throughout the industrialized world and the drive of Marxism to take the lead in solving workers’ problems. Pius XI saw the Great Depression as a sign that Marx might be right, and did his best to offer an alternative in the form of worker cooperatives and union‐management co‐determination. However, John Paul II stated unequivocally that labor unions are “indispensable” for workplace justice, and collective bargaining is just another name for workplace democracy. Unions are seen by John Paul II as the democratic institutions that form a bulwark against the abuse of workers at the hands of either the employer or the state. A detailed reading list is attached.

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International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 25 no. 11/12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2005

Edward J. O'Boyle

John Paul II's views on economic systems have been construed differently by some commentators who have been seeking approval for their own views rather than searching for the…

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Abstract

Purpose

John Paul II's views on economic systems have been construed differently by some commentators who have been seeking approval for their own views rather than searching for the meaning that he himself intends to convey. John Paul is labeled by many as favoring capitalism, and by others as supporting socialism. A few have been scrutinizing his statements in hopes of finding support for a “third‐way.” In this paper, John Paul is quoted at length to represent his views more accurately.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper originated in a collection of essays on the theme of John Paul II's vision of the social economy that was published by the International Journal of Social Economics in fall 1998. This author is indebted to the contributors to that collection for many insights into John Paul's vision. Eight topics are covered: consumption, distribution, capital investment, work as such, leisure, labor, development, and market economy versus command economy. This paper uses many more direct quotes than is customary in scholarly work, but there is no other way to proceed and remain faithful to John Paul's vision of the social economy.

Findings

John Paul's writings on economic affairs are significant for what they teach about the premises employed in economics. His own philosophy of the human person reinforces the four premises of personalist economics more so than the premises of the mainstream and challenges the mainstream at its foundations in the philosophy of individualism.

Research limitations/implications

John Paul speaks to a wide range of issues and questions central to economics and economic affairs. It would be presumptuous to represent this paper as a thorough examination of everything that John Paul has said, written, and means in this regard.

Practical implications

This paper attempts to highlight some of the key arguments that John Paul II has set forth on eight centrally important economic topics, comparing and contrasting his pronouncements with the views of mainstream economists on the same topics.

Originality/value

This paper draws on the insights of 20 professional colleagues specialized in range of subdisciplines in economics, holding faculty positions at major universities in the USA, Italy, and Canada, and with a strong interest in understanding the social economy. The concluding section states John Paul's vision of the social economy in terms of 13 most important arguments.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 32 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

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