Rerum Novarum

The Encyclical Rerum Novarum ( Of the new things ), published the May 15th 1891 by the Pope Leon XIII, is the inaugural text of the social doctrines of the Catholic church.

Taking as a starting point the reflections and the action of the " Christians sociaux" , the encyclical, written vis-a-vis the rise of the social question, condemns “the Misère and the Pauvreté which wrongfully weigh on the major part of the Working class” very as much as the “atheistic Socialisme ”. She also denounces excesses of the Capitalisme and encourages of this fact the Christian Syndicalisme and the social Catholicisme.

One creates in 1891 the Belgian democratic league in the line of this Encyclical. This event is received differently in the political circles: the social catholic mediums exaltent it, while the preserving catholic mediums, them, await the following Pope. The liberals do not see the importance of the document because it does not bring any concrete solution.

This encyclical which analyzes the real situation and seeks to give concrete tracks remains however sometimes moralisatrice and comprises inaccuracies on concrete questions. One finds a language very traditional anti-Socialist there at the time.

This event marks nevertheless a step: it is the first time that the Catholic church precedes the liberals, it recognizes the rights of the workmen and solemnly guarantees the development for a social movement.

See too

Internal bond

social Doctrines of the Church

External bond

Text in French of the encyclical Rerum Novarum on the official site of the Vatican

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