Centesimus Annus

SYNOPSIS

"Human persons should be respected, for they are created in God's image and charged with God's life." Centesimus Annus as published in 1991 as a papal encyclical is not just a commemoration and praise to Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum but also an endorsement of a free market economy towards the enjoyment of freedom, preservation of human dignity and devotion to liberty. In its concerns for workers' rights, for families and voluntary associations, and for religious liberty, and in its endorsement of democracy, the Pope develops classic themes of papal teaching about the modern economy and the modern state.

The overlooked human respect led to the brutalization of the workforce in Pope Leo's time, the two world wars, holocaust, the recent dictatorships in the East, and the gap between the rich and the poor. The break-up of atheistic communism was due to its disrespect for the dignity and the consequent rights of the human being. The encyclical calls for a revolution that offers the hope of a new, alternative world in which God's gifts are shared in a just way and where all human rights are respected .

In its first part, Pop John Paul II reviews Rerum Novarum as well as the long stream of social encyclicals which ensued thereby providing a panoramic vision of the Church's teachings on the social order. Centesimus Annus simply gave a modern perspective on known social teachings of the church.

Pope John Paul II tells us that the new source of economic affluence is no longer "land" as it was in the time of Pope Leo. It is not even "capital", in the sense of accumulation of money. It is a combination of new skills and talents. These skills include the knowledge of new technologies, but also entrepreneurship, acumen in marketing and the knack of organizing the work of many people effectively. Such talents need be honed by the development of the virtues, including diligence, industriousness, reliability, fidelity and courage.

The second part focuses on the importance of political and economic freedom of individuals for reshaping nations into democracies. Pope John Paul II thinks naturally of the fall of Communism after the fall of the Berlin wall as it also mark the end of the cold war in 1989. He places economic freedom parallel to political freedom. Marxism is based on a refusal of political freedom for the purpose of introducing a false sort of morality in the economy. Capitalism works only when enough practical freedom is granted entrepreneurs to initiate new businesses and managers to manage their business so that they can follow the changing needs of the market.

In essence, Pope John Paul II tells that the economy should rely first on free-markets and second, only when other human needs cannot be met by free-markets should the state provide for them in another fashion. In the political realm, most human needs should also be met by private initiative; and only when private initiative is lacking and only when the common good is at stake, should the State intervene.

The free market is the most efficient instrument for utilizing resources and effectively responding to needs." Pope John Paul II emphatically affirms "an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property, and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as free human creativity in the economic sector .

PERSONAL MEANING AS A BUSINESS PRACTIOTIONER

I believe that Centesimus Annus provides a philosophical approach not just to work but in all aspect of human life: the individual, family, associations, social structures and the state. A lot of topics depending on certain types of approach may be discussed; approach on politics, economics, business, philosophy of man and so on. I was really optimistic while reading the text; firstly because I love philosophy, secondly I saw the significance of this precious work in my goal to become a good states man. But much is to be discussed in my favorite area, for this discussion will focus on the business side of me as I select some areas of considerations.

I have always believed that a good business atmosphere can help solve poverty, which is why when De La Salle offered an MBA-JD program; I immediately transferred from my original law school. While it may be funny because despite of my Lasallian education since kinder, I was never that religious (catholic believer) because for me, religion especially the catholic church have always blamed humans for their weaknesses, provide compassion to the poor but never gave a concrete solution to alleviate poverty. Perhaps, I was just trapped with the old doctrines of Aquinas and Augustine or maybe I am just in denial that I never gave the church a chance to lay its social teachings and listen to it because despite of my Theology class during college about the social teachings of the church, I gave more importance to the fundamental principles of political science and some modern philosophical teachings. And now, it only took a 3 unit MBA class to add another level in my understanding towards human life, that despite certain contradictions, having the time to read it, and listen to what the church have to say is already a big difference in my life. I know for a fact that this written critique can never justify the ideas that are wandering in my mind at the present, but I believe that actions, my daily association with others, my simple activities will be a witness on how this work influenced me.

I am an advocate of capitalism, I do not see anything wrong in adopting such system, in fact, I consider myself a capitalist. We have seen, however, that such practical and materialist arguments fail to persuade most Christians. Christianity is not chiefly a materialist faith and does not respect a materialist test. The most telling claim made against capitalism--a charge constantly echoed in Catholic writings, including Centesimus Annus--is that the system subsists on selfishness and greed. Accepted by most defenders as well as critics of free enterprise, this assertion of material self interest at the core of capitalism implies the deadly idea that the system violates crucial religious and moral teachings. However, the Pope in his work acknowledges capitalism (free market, as he phrased it) as an alternative world in which God's gifts are shared in a just way and where all human rights are respected. After reading his work, I remembered a favorite book published in the year 2000, The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto . The book provides the capacity to transform the economies of those countries that have hitherto not been able to make capitalism work for their people. It explains how economies fail that have not first

...