In the last post, we discussed why the Catholic principle of solidarity does not equal socialism. In this post, we’ll be looking at solidarity and the welfare state.

To many Catholics, the call to solidarity boils down to a call for concern for the poor. If welfare is concerned with the poor, then it would seem solidarity means that Catholics should unambiguously affirm the welfare state. In this view, the welfare state is the incarnation of solidarity, a governmental system that takes care of the poor.

But that identity is questionable. Hence the question in the title of this post: “Solidarity and the Welfare State?”

Let me be very clear that by putting it in question I am not...READ MORE

I’ve been talking in recent posts about the Church’s principle of subsidiarity, the principle that “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co-ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good” (Catechism, 1883).

It’s now time to talk about another Catholic principle, solidarity. Whereas the principle of subsidiarity is generally ignored, the principle of solidarity is generally misunderstood.

Solidarity, in emphasizing the concern for the poor, is often taken to imply the...READ MORE

As I noted in a previous post, there are some who take the Church’s rejection of socialism, collectivism, and communism, as if it were a blanket affirmation of pure capitalism. That is as misleading as thinking that the Church’s preferential option for the poor entails full political support of the welfare state.

Neither are correct, and both violate the Catholic principle of subsidiarity, which again states that “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co-ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always...READ MORE

As I noted in a previous post, the Catholic principle of subsidiarity asserts that “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co-ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good” (Catechism, 1883).

Fine. But what exactly does that mean in regard to our own social and economic situation?

Again, it means, first of all, that the state should not violate the “moral space” of its citizens, a space that is also economic. And that is what too many state social programs, in fact,...READ MORE

There seems to be a lot of confusion in regard to exactly what the Church teaches about economics.

On one side, there are those whose reasoning goes something like this: “The Catholic Church is for poor people, so it is for large governmental social welfare programs and something like socialism.”

On the other, there are those who reason along these lines: “Since the Catholic Church is against socialism and communism, therefore it is unabashedly for capitalism. Government should therefore stay out of economics — as should the Church — and leave the whole money-making thing to market forces.”

And then in the middle there are large numbers of Catholics who don’t know what the Church...READ MORE

When I interviewed Congressman Paul Ryan two years ago, neither he nor I had any idea that he would be the next GOP vice-presidential candidate. Not much has changed since then, either in regard to Ryan or our situation.

Then, as now, we were in a severe economic slump, severe enough to be called the “Great Recession,” that is, teetering on the edge of duplicating the Great Depression.

Then, as now, Paul Ryan was known as the GOP budget hawk, the man with the intestinal fortitude to take on both parties in his cry for fiscal reform.

Then, as now, Ryan’s solution was a very concrete proposal, “A Road Map for America’s Future” — the economic plan heralded by the GOP, and, now that...READ MORE