What’s Wrong with the World

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What’s Wrong with the World is dedicated to the defense of what remains of Christendom, the civilization made by the men of the Cross of Christ. Athwart two hostile Powers we stand: the Jihad and Liberalism...read more

A comment on contemporary politics

(Guest Post)

You understand, venerable brethren, that We speak of that sect of men who, under various and almost barbarous names, are called socialists, communists, or nihilists, and who, spread over all the world, and bound together by the closest ties in a wicked confederacy, no longer seek the shelter of secret meetings, but, openly and boldly marching forth in the light of day, strive to bring to a head what they have long been planning - the overthrow of all civil society whatsoever.

Surely these are they who, as the sacred Scriptures testify, "Defile the flesh, despise dominion and blaspheme majesty." They leave nothing untouched or whole which by both human and divine laws has been wisely decreed for the health and beauty of life. They refuse obedience to the higher powers, to whom, according to the admonition of the Apostle, every soul ought to be subject, and who derive the right of governing from God; and they proclaim the absolute equality of all men in rights and duties. They debase the natural union of man and woman, which is held sacred even among barbarous peoples; and its bond, by which the family is chiefly held together, they weaken, or even deliver up to lust. Lured, in fine, by the greed of present goods, which is "the root of all evils, which some coveting have erred from the faith," they assail the right of property sanctioned by natural law; and by a scheme of horrible wickedness, while they seem desirous of caring for the needs and satisfying the desires of all men, they strive to seize and hold in common whatever has been acquired either by title of lawful inheritance, or by labor of brain and hands, or by thrift in one's mode of life. ...

For, indeed, although the socialists, stealing the very Gospel itself with a view to deceive more easily the unwary, have been accustomed to distort it so as to suit their own purposes, nevertheless so great is the difference between their depraved teachings and the most pure doctrine of Christ that none greater could exist: "for what participation hath justice with injustice or what fellowship hath light with darkness?" Their habit, as we have intimated, is always to maintain that nature has made all men equal, and that, therefore, neither honor nor respect is due to majesty, nor obedience to laws, unless, perhaps, to those sanctioned by their own good pleasure. But, on the contrary, in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel, the equality of men consists in this: that all, having inherited the same nature, are called to the same most high dignity of the sons of God, and that, as one and the same end is set before all, each one is to be judged by the same law and will receive punishment or reward according to his deserts. The inequality of rights and of power proceeds from the very Author of nature, "from whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named."

(Cross-posted)

Comments (5)

Leo XIII?

Yep.

It's a good thing Pope Leo also wrote Rerum Novarum, which advocates trade unions and living wages, mostly in order to deter intervention by the State. Its importance in light of the current situation is that it should, in theory, keep the economy grounded in production and not speculation, while also using subsidiarity to keep the feedback information between employees and employers reasonably constant.

There is supposed to be a new economic encyclical coming up soon, but it is being tweaked in light of the current instability.
http://www.speroforum.com/a/18339/Pope-to-issue-encyclical-on-economics

here's an explication of Rothbard's take on the natural law:
http://littlealexinwonderland.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/the-ethics-of-liberty-part-iv-the-individual-and-interpersonal-relations/
(LXIII's "in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel, the equality of men consists in this: that all, having inherited the same nature, are called to the same most high dignity of the sons of God, and that, as one and the same end is set before all, each one is to be judged by the same law and will receive punishment or reward according to his deserts") using Crusoe and Friday to illustrate non-aggression (BXVI's 'their is no coercion in religion') and the licitness of voluntary exchanges/associations that honor the objective reason of the human "body, to labor for its survival, and the production of that labor — life, liberty, and property."

indeed Rothbard's "part v" channels even closer the spirit of Rerum Novarum:

"The laborer is just as much a capitalist as the initial producers — whether or not he physically produces the products, himself. Denying Mr. Boat(*) his right to determine the terms under which he labors is a violation of his natural right to liberty.

http://littlealexinwonderland.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/the-ethics-of-liberty-part-v-capital-labor-and-aggression/

* Mr Boat is the ferryman of Crusoe and Friday's contemporary Mr Fish, his production associate Mr Wheat and their business partner Mr Gold as they pursue 'offshore' opportunities...

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