Social Teachings of the Church: Quadragesimo Anno Encyclical Members: Delos Santos, Jesspeed Marvel Encinas, Hansel Lim,

Vengale Ziganay, Jeselle

(Latin for In the 40th Year) is an encyclical written by Pope Pius XI, issued 15 May 1931, exactly 40 years after Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum. In the interim there were other papal statements from Leo XIII, and also the encyclical Singulari Quadam of Pope Pius X. Pius XI subtitled his encyclical Reconstruction of the Social Order. Unlike Leo XIII, who addressed the condition of workers, Pius XI discusses the ethical implications of the social and economic order. He describes the major dangers for human freedom and dignity arising from unrestrained capitalism and totalitarian communism. He also calls for the reconstruction of the social order based on the principle of solidarity and subsidiarity. Difference between Pope Leo XIIIs Rerum Novarum: As Pope Leo XIII noted in Rerun Novarum, as a result of the rapidly industrializing economy there were two main social classes: the rich and the poor. The concentration of wealth has led to a situation where only the strongest and those who disregard their conscience prospered in the new economic reality. Pope Pius XI wrote Quadragesimo Anno to expand on the Churchs response to challenging economic times, to advocate for Christian morals and to respond to the rise of socialism as an encomienda system. Social and economic issues The Church has a role in discussing these issues. Social and economic issues are vital to her not from a technical point of view but in terms of moral and ethical issues involved. Ethical considerations include the nature of private property concerning which, within the Catholic Church, several conflicting views had developed. Pope Pius XI proclaims private property to be essential for the development and freedom of the individual. Those who deny private property deny personal freedom and development. But, says Pius, private property has a social function as well. Private property loses its morality if it is not subordinated to the common good. Therefore governments have a right to pursue redistribution policies. In extreme cases, the Pope recognizes that the State has a right to expropriate private property.

Quadragesimo Anno

Communism and socialism Regarding communism and socialism, Pope Pius noted increasing differences. He condemns communism but also the social conditions which nourish it. He wants moderate socialism distance itself from totalitarian communism as a matter of convenience and also as a matter of principle, in light of the dignity of the human person. Dignity and human freedom are ethical considerations, which cannot be solved from a hostile class confrontation. Ethics are based on religion and, declares the Pope, this is the realm where the Church meets industrial society Social Order Industrialization, says Pius XI, resulted in less freedom at the individual and communal level, because numerous free social entities got absorbed by larger ones. A society of individuals became a mass and class society. People are much more interdependent than in ancient times and become egoistic or class-conscious in order to save some freedom for themselves. The pope demands more solidarity, especially between employers and employees through new forms of cooperation and communication. Pius draws a negative view of Capitalism, especially of the anonymous international finance markets. He identifies here problems: dangers for small and medium-size enterprises who have insufficient access to capital markets and are squeezed or destroyed by the larger ones. He warns, that capital interests can become a danger for states, who would be reduced to be "chained slaves of individual interests".