Such Catholics as Paul Ryan, who twisted the Catholic social teaching concept of subsidiarity to fit his libertarian economic ideology (basically reversing the meaning from communitarian to libertarian), have to be pretty uncomfortable right about now.
Pope Francis has come down hard on “trickle-down” theories:
Pope Francis on Tuesday sharply criticized growing economic inequality and unfettered markets in a lengthy paper outlining a populist philosophy that he says will guide his papacy as he pushes the Catholic Church to reach out more, particularly to the disenfranchised.
Using sharply worded phrases, Francis decried an “idolatry of money” and warned it would lead to “a new tyranny.” And he invoked language with particular resonance in the United States, attacking an economic theory most affiliated with conservatives that discourages taxation and regulation.
“Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world,” Francis wrote in the papal statement. “This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system.”
“Meanwhile,” he added, “the excluded are still waiting.”…
Whoa. No fooling around there. And his deliberate use of “trickle-down” in English translations of his Apostolic Exhortation was aimed straight at those in the United States who would place their faith in markets alone.
Slate put it this way: “Pope Francis Strafes Libertarian Economics.”
Economist Branko Milanovic noted that “The Apostolic Exhortation mentions inequality 11 times, poverty 10 times, the poor 61 times, the rich 5 times.”
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In another edition, the WashPost story referenced above said this:
“More local governance” translates as subsidiarity — the real kind, not the Paul Ryan kind. Ironically, that could increase the authority of all those conservative bishops who had taken office in the U.S. during the last two papacies, as some of my fellow panelists noted in this discussion last month.
As for the “inclusiveness” — well, that’s just reality, at the masses I attend. When I serve as a Eucharistic minister or lector, I’m frequently the only white male in the group.
On a related note, you may enjoy this gallery of images of the new pope’s public acts of humility. The irony is that to call up the gallery, you have to view an ad from JP Morgan and Chase Company (or at least, that’s what I saw; you might see something different)…
His words are prophetic. Unfortunately he may get what Jesus noted the Prophets got. But he is so right. There is no way libertarian philosophy squares with what Jesus taught or modeled.
Oh, the current Pope doesn’t like the free market? Well darn that John Paul II for helping to bring freedom and the free market to Poland.
The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that’s why it’s so essential to preserving individual freedom.
He doesn’t say he doesn’t like free markets. What I get from it is that he opposes a faith in markets as being all we need to sort things out.
It’s rather idolatrous, such a faith.
By the way, if I recall correctly, John Paul II was as critical of Western consumerism as he was of communism — because they were both materialistic systems.
Let me reword that: John Paul wasn’t “as critical” of consumerism as of communism.
But he criticized them both for the same error — that of materialism.
Hmmm… seems like the Catholic Church has always been interested in trickle up economics. It’s not like the Pope lives in a modest shack. The Church is one of the richest institutions in the world…. with enough money to pay out 2 billion in sex abuse settlements in the U.S. alone.
I’ll listen to the Pope on virtuous economics when he divests all of the Church’s gold.
” There is no way libertarian philosophy squares with what Jesus taught or modeled.”
And there is no government program that squares with what Jesus taught or modeled either.
Libertarianism, at least the Ayn Rand extremist version of it, is pretty much a cult. I’ve had my issues with the Catholic Church but on this Pope is spot on.
If you aren’t donating all your spare money to charity, you are no different than the most greedy person you can think of. How can you own an iPad, go to movies, go on vacations, etc. when there are starving people in the world? Self interest is self interest. Some people define greed as having more than they have.
I don’t judge people on what they earn or what they spend. I’ll believe the Pope is serious when he flies up to Hyannisport and convinces the Kennedys to sell their home and live a life of poverty. Or when the Church sells all of its vast real estate holdings. Til then, this is all just Holier Than Thou hypocrisy.
Spoken like a plutocrat!
I’m no plutocrat. I just don’t sit around wishing that other people would be more generous with their money. Or thinking that a Pope who has access to all the creature comforts known to man can speak about the greed of others.
Matthew 7:3-5
New International Version (NIV)
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
There is no way Doug can be a plutocrat, he and Mickey Mouse are no longer on speaking terms since he learned Mickey is an ACA supporter. Oh, you are not talking about Pluto the dog, are you?
However, I agree with Doug’s response.
Interesting, I just went over my donations for past year.
Animal Shelters – right at $2000 cash donations
People-related donations – a bag of old shirts dropped off at Goodwill and I told a panhandler to get a job
Church – I guess you gotta attend to donate.
I’m very comfortable with my donations, wish I could double the animal shelter donations though.
Your right Doug, no country even attempts to follow Jesus’ precepts. Nor am I brave enough to. But let’s not try to claim we are (eg. Sen. Ryan’s claims). This pope at least has left the papal palace, and prefers not to claim all the perks his position entitles him to.
And don’t forget, this pope busted the Bishop of Bling.
Luke 6:20
“Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.”
Why would we want to remove the poor from what appears to be the best situation eternity-wise?
Mary Anastasia O’Grady was plenty ticked at the Pope in The Wall Street Journal this morning, accusing him of giving cover, by criticizing faith in markets, to the Venezuelan regime:
Joshua Keating, over on Slate, makes the same observation I did about JPII:
Raise your hand if you owe your livelihood to unbridled capitalism. Okay, now raise your hand if you owe your livelihood to taxes paid by people who are unbridled capitalists. Okay, now raise your hand if you receive government payments as a result of the taxes paid by people who have thrived in the capitalist system.
Who’s left?
I’m more impressed with Pope Francis’ true spirit as it is more evidenced every day. I really get tired of self-righteous individuals who are so self adsorbed with themselves. Bless you Pope Francis as you’re showing what your faith is through your works in helping and ministering to the least of these. For some that threshold of the eye of the needle test and Matt. 25:45 are really hell.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/12/03/3011421/pope-francis-homeless/
What percent of your income do you donate to the poor? If it’s not a large number then you’re no different than the rich man.
Say what you will about Goldman Sachs — and you could say a lot — but its CEO, Lloyd Blankfein, recently boiled down one of America’s most complex problems into a perfectly simple and quotable line. Repeat after Lloyd, folks:
“This country does a great job of creating wealth, but not a great [job] of distributing it.”
http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/11/13/blankfein-financial-crisis/
The guilty flee when no man pursueth