Catholic Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism

Rating:
Summary: a celebration of capitalism tempered by a warning
Review: "Those who are convinced that they know the truth and firmly adhere to it are considered unreliable from a democratic point of view, since they do not accept that truth is determined by the majority, or that it is subject to variation according to different political trends. It must be observed in this regard that if there is no ultimate truth to guide and direct political activity, then ideas and convictions can easily be manipulated for reasons of power. As history demonstrates, a democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism." Pope John Paul II, _Centesimus_Annus_-1991, #46

Michael Novak has written several books on the impact of capitalism on democratic society, including _The_Catholic_Ethic_and_the_Spirit_of_Capitalism_. In essence, this volume contains a synopsis of papal thought on economics from Leo XIII in his encyclical _Rerum_Novarum_ (1891) to John Paul II in his centennial rejoinder _Centesimus_Annus_ (1991). This tumultuous period in between these two documents oversaw the rise of socialism and its final collapse. These events lead to the question, does capitalism engender a moral superiority as an economic system. The book leads the reader to the conclusion in the qualified affirmative.

Modern society maintains three dimensions involving public participation--political, economic and moral. Democracy (or probably more accurately, constitutional republican government) constitutes probably the best political form that flawed humans can achieve in this life. Capitalism has been demonstrated to be the most effective economic means to ensure maximum benefit (in productivity and material reward) for the greatest number of persons. Publicly expressed religious worship (particularly the Judeo-Christian creeds) have blessed society with moral leavening to help counter the vices so prevalent among persons at large in all walks of life. That socialism has collapsed so utterly is partly due to its _unitary_ nature. It intends to concentrate all powers--political, economic and moral--into the apparatus of the state. However, a democratic capitalist society with no accountability to God will also ultimately degenerate and collapse.

Leo XIII criticized to Europe's early Marxist movement, predicting that "The Socialists, working on the poor man's envy of the rich, endeavor to destroy private property, and maintain that individual possessions should become the common property of all, to be administered by the State... But their proposals are so clearly futile for all practical purposes, that if they were carried out the working man himself would be among the first to suffer." He extends his comments noting that the socialists "act against natural justice and threaten the very existence of family life. And such interference... is quite certain to... subject [all citizens] to odious and intolerable slavery... Ideal equality--of which so much is said--would, in reality, be the leveling down of all to the same condition of misery and dis-honor. Thus it is clear that the main tenet of Socialism, the community of goods, must be utterly rejected; for it would injure those whom it is intended to benefit, it would be contrary to the natural rights of mankind, and it would introduce confusion and disorder into the commonwealth." One can only shudder at the cost in human lives and misery that mankind has suffered for not affording greater attention to these words at the time.

Catholic ideas of these components in society were further expounded by Pius XI in _Quadragesimo_Anno_ (1931), to which he contributed. Injustice within society must be confronted, and for this imperative the term "social justice" was coined. Pius XI emphasized three points: personal responsibility, institutional change, and practicality. Humans have a moral nature and thereby must accept responsibility within the society in which they live. They must focus on change in the system--the institutions which constitute society. And finally, people should be realistic, concentrating on what is "possible" and not on utopian visions. During past ages, common people were passive "subjects"--this was a call to action for "citizens" to participate. (Needless to say, this encyclical was not very popular with Mussolini.) This requires free men and women to join together and organize. The art of association, Tocqueville wrote, is the first law of democracy. The absence of this quality makes the practice of modern citizenship and civil society impossible. The contrast can probably be best illustrated by a comparison between the American and French Revolutions of the eighteenth century. American colonialists were knit together by habits of volunteerism, whereas the French were still a mob of solitary individuals. The first revolution led to a free society--the second disintegrated quickly into a murderous anarchy followed by Napoleon's dictatorship.

The underlying principle of John Paul's anthropology is the "creative subjectivity" of the human person--seen from two perspectives: philosophically and theologically. The former sees _homo_creator_ envisions _imago_Dei_. In _Centesimus_Annus_ #32, John Paul writes, "Whereas at one time the decisive factor of production was the land,... today the decisive factor is increasingly man himself, that is, his knowledge, especially his scientific knowledge, his capacity for interrelated and compact organization, as well as his ability to perceive the needs of others and to satisfy them."

As a consequence, freedom is a means--not an end--to seek a harmony between self interest and the interests of society as a whole, wherever this is possible. Liberty is not to be taken as license--not as liberty _from_ the law, but liberty _within_ the law. Ultimately, all societies must focus on "the truth about man", for without this emphasis, people lose their moral bearings and sense of direction. (See the excerpt at the beginning of this review.) Capitalism enables the greatest opportunity to engage creatively in the economic sphere, and rewarding the labors of those who endeavor in productive enterprise. John Paul continues, "Important virtues are involved in this process such as diligence, industriousness, prudence in undertaking reasonable risks, reliability and fidelity in interpersonal relationships as well as courage in carrying out decisions which are difficult and painful, but necessary both in the overall working of a business and in meeting possible setbacks." Democratic polity provides a means of participation by citizens in establishing consensus. But without an understanding of the truth of man's obligations to God, corruption will ultimately dissolve the spirit of cooperation and chaos will ensue. Checks and balances provide the counterweights to inappropriate economic desires, as the pope describes the proper role for the public's moral component: "Such a society is not directed against the market, but demands that the market be appropriately controlled by the forces of society and by the state so as to guarantee that the basic needs of the whole of society are satisfied." The message from John Paul's encyclical and of Michael Novak's _The_Catholic_Ethic_ could be summarized as follows: The human imperative is to be creative, and society must endeavor to encourage public virtue.

Rating:
Summary: the morality of capitalism
Review: I've lived through the '50's red scares,communist world expansion, the '60's nihilism and militaristic support for capitalistic expansion. I've witnessed the polemics of the 80's and '90's, culminating in the demise of Communism and the emergence of a "Third way" synthesis. Capitalism always appealed to the intellect as logical but, knowing that not all humans are hard working and creative, capitalism in its pure state always seemed morally lacking. Mike Novak argues this is like blaming the car engine for and moral deficits of a drunk driver. While providing an interesting ride, this socio-economic -political rollercoaster has always lacked a tanscendent moral order. Along the way, pundits, social critics and propogandists produced a moral overview both fragmentary and conflicting. Mike Novak's book assigns some greater moral clarity to the choas of this historical tumult. He argues that one may be both a devout catholic and an enthusiastic capitalist, that indeed, being catholic may even oblige one to be a capitalist. He stenghens his views with the imprimatur of encyclicals, both eloquent and prescient, by Popes Leo XIII through John Paul II. Each humanistic and thoughtful citizen, whether a member of The American Republic or the world at large, must ask: Are private property and the pursuit of profit moral goods or evils? Are capitalism's excesses and shortcoming the faults of the economic order itself or the hosting culture? Is the pursuit of self interest a natural expression of god-given talent (hence a moral imperative to inspire, protect and empower others) or is it the selfish and exploitative. Is greed good? When does legitimate self interest become greed? Is global expansion of American capitalism righteous, as an escape from the enslavement of starvation-level poverty? Or is it simply an invitation to starve more freely? Is the inclusion of world citizens an invitation to the feast of expanding prosperity or an exploitation of their circumstance? Should the social conscience of a corporation make good business sense? Is it even possible? Is it theologically sound? Is it theologically required? After reading Professor Novak's book, I believe each reader will have a clearer view of capitalism's moral strengh and the weakness of opposing neo-socialist apostasies.

Rating:
Summary: Catholicism and Capitalism Go Together
Review: Not only is capitalism moral, but Novak proves out how the Catholic church has a history of rejecting socialism and exalting the capitalist society. Contrary to Max Weber's work on the Protestant Ethic, all of Catholicism is not one big tome to social justice and human rights. From _Rerum Novarum_ to _Centesimus Annus_, Catholicism captures the spirit of entrepreneurial ingenuity and liberty.

Rating:
Summary: Catholicism and Capitalism Go Together
Review: Not only is capitalism moral, but Novak proves out how the Catholic church has a history of rejecting socialism and exalting the capitalist society. Contrary to Max Weber's work on the Protestant Ethic, all of Catholicism is not one big tome to social justice and human rights. From _Rerum Novarum_ to _Centesimus Annus_, Catholicism captures the spirit of entrepreneurial ingenuity and liberty.