QUADRAGESIMO ANNO:

On the Reconstruction of the

Social Order
By Pope Pius XI
SOCIAL ENCYCLICALS, according to the
Social Encyclicals entry in Encyclopedia of
Catholic Social Thought, Social Science, and
Social Policy are: "A large-scale, detailed
letter sent out by the pope to everyone in
the world, treating social issues (usually
economic ones) with a combination of
critique and counsel, defining paramount
principles, pointing out urgent problems
suggesting a direction for solutions
 Pope Pius XI promulgated
Quadragesimo Anno in 1931, during
the great depression.  This letter
critiqued the current economic system
and sought to promote institutional
reform.  The encyclical reviews
catholic social teaching and calls for
catholic social action.
WHY WAS IT WRITTEN?

1891- Rerum Novarum

Pope Leo XIII

1893- “Panic of 1893”

- Credit Shortage
- Economic Depression
- Unemployment
- Violent Protests
1894- Pullman Strike in the USA

1914-1918
- World War I Happened

1917- Russian Revolution

1919-1939
-Totalitarian vs Democratic State
Rise of Fascism, Communism and
Nazism
February 6, 1922
- Pope Pius XI was elected

1924 – Stalin wins power struggle in

Communist Russia

1929- US Stock Market Collapsed

- Great Depression Begins
- World-wide Economic Crisis

May 19, 1931

- Quadragesimo Anno
Pope Pius XI established:

1. The Feast of Christ the King

2. Vatican City as an Independent
State
3. Vatican Radio
 QUADRAGESIMO ANNO
(40 Year)
TH

*40th Anniversary of Rerum

Novarum
*Pope Pius XI’s encyclical on the
Reconstruction of the Social Order
Part 1: Impact of Rerum Novarum
(#1-39)
Part 2: Clarifying and Developing the
Social and Economic Doctrine of Rerum
Novarum (#40-98)
*Condition of Workers affects human dignity

*Property Rights
 Part 3: Criticism of “Economic
Dictatorship” Socialism and Communism
(#99-148)
THE POPE’S REMEDIES