From Populorum progressio to Sollicitudo rei socialis
Prof. Father Alfonso Carrasco Rouco,
"San Dámaso" Faculty of Theology, Madrid

The social doctrine taught by the Church in the Encyclicals that go from Populorum progressio to the Sollicitudo rei socialis is generally characterised by continuity, as far as its basic intentions are concerned, with the previous doctrine for which the starting point is the Rerum novarum, also however presenting new perspectives, languages and subjects, a renewal one can symbolise as the integration of the Council’s thoughts on the Church and its relationship with the world.

Continuity consists in two fundamental factors, present in the pontifical social doctrine from its very beginnings with Leo XIII: on one hand the state, political power, does not find its foundation in itself, in simple human agreement and will, but rather within a moral and religious framework that comes from God; on the other hand, when one forgets this, or even denies it battling against the Church, society is founded on false bases inevitably generating injustice and serious problems, then provided with mistaken solutions based on erroneous ideologies.

Both these basic factors are still present in the post-counciliar social doctrine, although differences do exist due to diversities both in theological and pastoral form, and due to social issues and historical contexts.

The Church’s contribution to social life is no longer proposed within the framework of its relations with a state called upon to acknowledge, as a real historical way of stating its own limitations and dependence on God, the Church’s religious mission, its rights and come its prerogatives; and this contribution is not even presented as indissolubly binding for the reasonable acceptance of a natural right preceding the power of the state. The Church’s contribution, through its Teachings and through the lives of all its faithful and all its communities is now above all understood as a service for the defence and promotion of the human being, its dignity and its fundamental rights..

This is how one renders visible the essential aspects of the Teachings of the Second Vatican Council as regards to relations between the Church and the world and society: The Church defines itself as the mark and safeguard of the transcendent characteristics of the human person, and also, its service to humankind, its temporal and eternal vocation, and is considered as the main directive criteria of its work in the political community (GS 25, 76).

In this manner, in harmony with current historical circumstances, the Church finds its focal centre, meaning the more profound meaning that justifies the pastoral effort manifest in social doctrine: the passion for humankind’s dignity and its destiny, present in the great issues and challenges it must confront in social, political and economic life.

Obviously, this anthropological perspective did not ignore previous teachings. One can for example bear in mind the manner in which Pius XI defended the fundamental principle of human dignity in Mit brennender Sorge (1937) or his concise reaffirmation of fundamental rights in Divini Redemptoris (1937), later described in a more detailed manner by Pius XII in his Homily for Christmas in 1942, or the extremely important teachings of John XXIII in Pacem in terris (1963).

Reflecting the Council’s thoughts, Paul VI was to present in his encyclical Populorum progressio (1967), the Church dialoguing with the world "with its experience of humanity", proposing with Christian love "her distinctive contribution: a global perspective on man and human realities" (PP 13).

The historical situation the Church confronts is characterised by the extension of industrial society to the whole world, with the riches and the serious problems this involves; to this one must add the increasing inequality between nations and social groups within individual countries. Paul VI presents his Teachings in two parts, enunciating first and then specifying a number of actions that are aimed at achieving humankind’s united development.

Paul VI does not propose technical remedies, but rather a human condition permitting modern man to discover himself, which would really allow one to actually distinguish growth (quantitative) from an authentic and integral development of man and all humankind. Refusing to separate the economy from human aspects, he emphasises that "... Neither individuals nor nations should regard the possession of more and more goods as the ultimate objective. Every kind of progress is a two-edged sword. It is necessary if man is to grow as a human being; yet it can also enslave him, if he comes to regard it as the supreme good and cannot look beyond it. (…) Thus the exclusive pursuit of material possessions prevents man's growth as a human being and stands in opposition to his true grandeur. Avarice, in individuals and in nations, is the most obvious form of stultified moral development. " (PP 19).

In this sense, after remembering that the traditional doctrine on the universal destination of the earth’s material goods, the humanising meaning of work, the need for social forms of cooperation, as well as the importance of the family, of education and of culture, Paul VI briefly criticises liberal capitalism and finishes mentioning the heart of his teachings quoting a few famous words spoken by H. de Lubac: "closed off from God, they will end up being directed against man. A humanism closed off from other realities becomes inhuman" (42).

The second part of the encyclical suggests concrete measures for fulfilling the duty of solidarity and rendering possible brotherhood and the development of populations: for example, the creation of a world fund, financed with part of the world’s budget; a real dialogue confronting the problem of debt and financial relations between nations; this issue of equity in commercial relations; the need for a world authority with real juridical and political capabilities, etc.

Finally, he states that development is the new name for peace (76); and with this objective in mind, after mentioning the role of hierarchy that follows and authentically interprets moral principles, he calls in particular upon all the faithful to exercise their free initiative, in a common effort, moved by charity and capable of sacrifice, to definitely impregnate with the evangelical spirit the mentalities, the laws and the social structures they live in (81-82).

The encyclical Octogesima adveniens begins by reminding us that the Gospel’s eternal light allows the Church to offer a specific contribution and also to enter a dialogue with society, marking three moments: principles of reflection, juridical rules and directives for action (4).

Principles of reflection find their source in the Gospel and are organised around a vision of humankind, its nature and its dignity. The initial moment is therefore the belief of the need for the Gospel for the complete fulfilment of the human experience. If humankind expects to be self-sufficient man ends up by subsiding: he lacks the moral strength that really makes him a man, a real awareness of himself, of life, of his own destiny; he lacks the real prototype for humanity, the Son of God and of man (Christmas message 1969).

Octogesima adveniens dedicates ample space (part two) to offering judgement on the great ideological trends present in contemporary society.

It begins by reminding us that political action must be founded on a coherent project for society, which requires an understanding of humankind. It is not however the duty of states or political parties to impose an ideology that would represent a dictatorship of the spirit, it is instead the duty of cultural and religious groups to develop final principles concerning humankind and society (25).

Then it emphasises the profound ambiguity of ideologies such as socialism, Marxism or liberalism, specifying their mistakes concerning the concept of freedom and the activities of individuals and of society. Christians must exercise discernment facing these great cultural trends, so as not to retire within them as in a limited and totalitarian system; on the other hand however they must discern without neglecting their service and their contribution for the good of their brothers (36).

The encyclical then dwells on the phenomenon of the rebirth of utopias. Although at times they may represent a pretext for escaping to imaginary worlds, they also provide a dimension of criticism and aperture to new possibilities, to the future. The profound truth of this attitude is made possible by the Spirit, who animates the renewed man in Christ and allows him to overcome horizons and certainties (in which he would willingly take refuge), as well as systems and ideologies: "At the heart of the world there dwells the mystery of man discovering himself to be God's son in the course of a historical and psychological process (...) The dynamism of Christian faith here triumphs over the narrow calculations of egoism" (37).

Finally it states the current challenge consisting in a degree of positivism, in which man is only considered as yet another of science’s objects, which could explain his existence and his destiny, with serious risks of reductionism and manipulations. Human science embraces varied but partial aspects of humankind, and for this reason, "its totality and meaning escape their analysis" and "rather than exhausting, they enlarge the mystery of man’s heart and do not provide a complete and final answer"; the Church instead proposes a global vision of man and of humankind (see 38).

Parts three and four of the encyclical are dedicated to meditation and a series of directives for action concerning the new problems Christians must confront in the modern world. The need for greater justice, for a change in hearts and in structures, for an authentic responsibility in political work is all emphasised. On this subject it reminds us of the need for Catholics to commit themselves to social and political work (49), acknowledging the legitimate diversity of the possible options, albeit always determined by the desire to renew society with a Christian spirit and profound charity (50).

In his programmatic encyclical Redemptor hominis, John Paul II reminds us that the Second Vatican Council "In its penetrating analysis of "the modern world", the Second Vatican Council reached that most important point of the visible world that is man" (8), discovering the bond that creates the foundations of relations between the Church and the world in which Christ the Redeemer "fully reveals man to himself", to the extent that, through approaching Christ, man "understand himself thoroughly" (10). Now, this mystery of Christ constitutes the life of the Church, which will not remain insensitive to all that concerns the authentic good of humankind. What Christians must provide for modern man is therefore the truth about man’s mystery and vocation as the foundation for real liberation (Inaugural Speech at the 3^rd General CELAM Conference, Puebla 1979). John Paul II emphasises that the Church’s social teachings arise from the encounter between the evangelical message and the problems created in the lives of men and society. The Church does not offer a social philosophy or technical solutions, but confronts life’s ethical aspects and considers the technical ones, to examine their conformity with what the Gospel teaches about man and his dignity and to consequently orientate behaviour (SRS 8,41).

The encyclical Laborem exercens, written on the occasion of the ninetieth anniversary of Rerum novarum and within a historical context marked by the creation of the Polish trade union Solidarnosc, is dedicated to the subject of work, at the heart itself of the social issue from since very origin. In fact "Work is one of the characteristics that distinguish man from the rest of creatures (…) work bears a particular mark of man and of humanity (…) this mark decides its interior characteristics; in a sense it constitutes its very nature." (Blessing)

In our times, considerable technical progress has radically transformed objective working conditions; however, it has also become obvious that technique alone does not lead to the evolution of civilisation. There is also in fact a "subjective" dimension of work: as a human being, man "works, he performs various actions belonging to the work process; independently of their objective content, these actions must all serve to realize his humanity, to fulfil the calling to be a person that is his by reason of his very humanity" (6). Going against the current trends in capitalism and socialism that effectively place economics at the centre of their idea of man, which offends humankind, one must believe that humankind’s finality is not the possession and organisation of earthly things, but rather the fact that with work man "not only transforms nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfilment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes "more a human being"." (9).

John Paul II emphasises also that the working man is not an isolated individual, but a person living in a community, starting with the family "made possible by employment and a first education for employment" culminating in the state, and therefore the work of each man serves the good of his compatriots and increases the common patrimony of the whole human family (20).

Within this perspective individualism is not overcome as in Marxism, addressing the concept of "class" and using as a tool "class struggles". There are intermediate institutions between the family and national society, within the dynamics of socialisation that preserves the subjectivity of each person in the great social task. Concretely, Laborem exercens proposes an exploration of labour associated to capital ownership, and the creation of a series of intermediate associations provided with economic, social and cultural finalities (14). John Paul II sees trade unions as indispensable elements for social life, especially in modern industrial society; however, their activities, although influencing political life, understood as a cure for the common good, must not be confused with the activities of political parties nor be subordinated to these.

The dignity of work finally is made manifest by the fact that thanks to work, man participates in God’s creating work, imitating Christ, who also dedicated Himself to work and to manual labour.

In 1987, on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the Populorum progressio, John Paul II dedicated the encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis to the causes of the underdevelopment experienced by many populations on the planet and ways for overcoming this.

A glance at the contemporary world allows one to quickly observe that hopes in current development are very far from real (12). Not only do many people still live under the burden of misery, but the gap, the abyss that exists between the north and the south increases instead of diminishing. This is revealed by underdevelopment’s economic indicators and also by cultural one such as illiteracy, the repression of the right to economic initiative, the limitation of human rights, the loss of national sovereignty to different degrees. Due to the interdependence, the effects of underdevelopment affect rich nations to a certain extent: employment problems, property markets. Everyone is affected by terrorism or by the migration of populations and refugees.

This necessarily leads to the moral analysis not only of actions undertaken by politicians, but also of economic and financial mechanisms, which should not be considered as inevitable automatisms (16). But underdevelopment also has political causes: the existents of two opposing blocks, characterised by liberal capitalism and Marxist collectivism; this means that developed countries can become parts of an imperialist or neo-colonial mechanism (22). In particular, the production and commerce of weapons; this consumes considerable resources, and creates serious disorder deserving a severe moral judgement (24).

There are also of course positive signs in contemporary society, such as a full awareness in many people of the dignity of the person and acute concern about human rights, an acute sense of interdependence and solidarity, greater preoccupation about peace and life, a greater capability for food development, etc.

The encyclical then mentions that development should not be confused with the straight and almost automatic route followed by progress, nor should it be perceived starting from a "concept based on economism". Development is measured according to the reality of humankind seen according to its specific nature, capable of subordinating the ownership and domination of goods and products to its real immortal vocation (29). Hence one should achieve the overcoming of the obstacles opposing development through decisions that are fundamentally moral ones, which for the believer are inspired by faith and charity.

In fact, this world divided into ‘blocks’ and subordinated to rigid ideological and imperialist rules, is a world subordinated to sinful structures. These are moral evil, the result of many sins, the assessment of which, necessary for its overcoming allows one to see to their very roots the real forms of idolatry: money, power, ideologies, social classes etc.

The path is long and complicated, threatened by humankind’s intrinsic fragility; hence a spiritual attitude is essential, a change in mentality, a conversion. Along this path, the awareness of interdependence can represent the beginning of the virtue of solidarity: in all societies, acknowledging everyone as human beings, in relation with the goods of the earth, there for everyone, and then also interdependence between nations so that the stronger may feel responsible for the others. Solidarity, overcoming the structures of sin, is a pathway towards peace and development; and, as a Christian virtue, shows a profound dimension of real gratitude, a capability of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The Church does not offer alternative ideologies or technical solutions; but as an expert on humanity she states that development is not merely a technical problem. Faced with the social issue’s worldwide dimension, moved by her preferential love for the poor, the Church feels the duty to expose the authentic human dimension of economic, social and also technical problems (42). In real terms, faced with the enormous problem of poverty and underdevelopment, a number of reforms are certainly necessary: reforming the international trade system, the world monetary and financial system, the exchange of technologies, and a revision of the organisation of international institutions (43).

"Peoples and individuals aspire to be free". Confronting the temptation of desperation, the Church states strongly the possibility of overcoming the obstacles that prevent development and authentic liberation, trusting in the divine promise that prevents humankind’s history from closing its doors to the kingdom of God and, trusting in humankind in which there is not only sin but also basic goodness, because it is the likeness of the Creator, influenced by the close love of the Redemptor and the effective work of His Spirit (47).