EVOLUTION OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS

1891, POPE LEO XIII RELEASED HIS ENCYCLICAL RERUM NOVARUM. THIS WAS
THE FIRST OF THE ENCYCLICALS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
AT THE TIME IT WAS WRITTEN, EUROPE WAS UNDERGOING GREAT
PHILOSOPHICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES. THE TWO DOMINANT PHILOSOPHIES
WERE DEMOCRACY AND COMMUNISM.
THOUGH LEO XIII ADMITS TO THE MERITS OF BOTH PHILOSOPHIES, HE DID
NOT CHAMPION EITHER OF THEM. HE CRITICISED DEMOCRACYS TENDENCY
TO EXCESSES AND EXPLOITATION AS WELL AS OPPOSED COMMUNISMS
ATHEISTIC PHILOSOPHY.
POPE LEO XIII, IN RERUM NOVARUM, ARGUED FOR:
* THE RECOGNITION OF HUMAN DIGNITY
* THE PROTECTION OF BASIC ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
(THE RIGHT TO JUST WAGE AND TO ORGANISE ASSOCIATIONS OR
UNIONS)
* THE RIGHT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY
* THE RIGHTS OF LABOUR OVER CAPITAL
* THE JUST ORGANIZATIONS OF SOCIETY FOR THE COMMON GOOD
RERUM NOVARUM WAS A PRECEDENT. THIS ENCYCLICAL STARTED THE
TRADITION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ENGAGING THE ISSUES OF SOCIAL
ORDER.
IT IS NOTABLE TO MENTION THAT IT TOOK 40 YEARS UNTIL THE NEXT
ENCYCLICAL WAS WRITTEN, AND THAT THE LAST THIRTY YEARS HAVE SEEN
RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN THE ASPECT IN THE CHURCHS LIFE.
IT IS ALSO NOTABLE TO STATE THAT SO FAR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CATHOLIC
SOCIAL TEACHINGS STILL REVOLVES UPON THE CENTRAL THEMES OF RERUM
NOVARUM AND HAS SLOWLY BUILT AND ADDED UPON IT.
THE CHURCHS ENCYCLICALS HAS INSPIRED NUMEROUS OTHER DOCUMENTS
WHICH ADDRESSES SPECIFIC FAITH COMMUNITIES SUCH AS:
*THE AUSTRALIAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE, COMMONWEALTH FOR THE
COMMON GOOD
*THE MEDELLIN AND PUEBLA DOCUMENTS FROM LATIN AMERICAN
CHIRCH
*THE AMERICAN BISHIPS CONFERENCE, ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL
*THE AFRICAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE, JUSTICE AND EVANGELISATION
IN AFRICA
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS IN THE LAST 100
YEARS HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT. EACH ENCYCLICAL REFLECTS THE
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES PRESENT THE TIME EACH WAS WRITTEN IN.

CONTENT OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS.

THE ENCYCLICALS HAVE TAKEN ISSUE WITH MANY FACETS OF THE

CONTEMPORARY WORLD. IT ADRESSES THE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN DIGNITY,
JUSTICE AND THE COMMON GOOD.
THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS ENCOMPASSES MANY GLOBAL CONCERNS
BUT GIVES PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE SITUATION OF THE POOR, AND THE
CAUSES OF POVERTY AND MARGINALIZATION.
THE KEY PRINCIPLES WHICH EMERGED IN CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS ARE:
*HUMAN DIGNITY
*THE COMMON GOOD
*THE PRINCIPLE OF SOLIDARITY
*THE PRINCIPLE OF SUBSIDIARITY
*THE PURPOSE OF SOCIAL ORDER
*THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT
*THE PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION