Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Pope Tells Davos Attendees to Go Socialist

In a message to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerlnand, Pope Francis continued to pound the socialist central planning theme. (My highlight)
What is needed, then, is a renewed, profound and broadened sense of responsibility on the part of all. “Business is – in fact – a vocation, and a noble vocation, provided that those engaged in it see themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life” (Evangelii Gaudium, 203). Such men and women are able to serve more effectively the common good and to make the goods of this world more accessible to all. Nevertheless, the growth of equality demands something more than economic growth, even though it presupposes it. It demands first of all “a transcendent vision of the person” (Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 11), because “without the perspective of eternal life, human progress in this world is denied breathing-space” (ibid.). It also calls for decisions, mechanisms and processes directed to a better distribution of wealth, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality. I am convinced that from such an openness to the transcendent a new political and business mentality can take shape, one capable of guiding all economic and financial activity within the horizon of an ethical approach which is truly humane.

21 comments:

  1. Communism is dead. Socialism is dead. Fascism is alive and well. Anybody that advocates for the former two are useful idiots.

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  2. The pope says:

    "It also calls for decisions, mechanisms and processes directed to a better distribution of wealth, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a simple welfare mentality."

    It does not follow that he is calling for socialism here. I think it is arguably the case that there has been no greater mechanism for inequalities in the distribution of wealth than through Federal Reserve Bank policies on both a national and international basis. As such, if changing or removing Fed fractional reserve policies and instituting what we know are free markets (not rent seeking markets) brings about a more equal distribution of wealth, then this would be a humane ethical approach in the eyes of the Church.

    I think free marketers can agree, that wealth distribution has been massively distorted to the advantage of NYC and DC and certain other coastal cities, while other fly-over cities and locales have languished.

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    1. When taken in conjunction with his previous writings and statements, it is fairly obvious he supports a socialist state.

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    2. Amen, the centralized monopoly of fiat money is the great mechanism of economic inequality and wealth centralization. We'd all be well served to continually pound this point at every opportunity.

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    3. What everyone here can agree upon is that the wise and benevolent Pope is a moron when it comes to knowledge about how the Federal Reserve operates, how States operate, etc. There is a difference between theoretical knowledge and practical/applied knowledge. This Pope is playing into the hands of the Devil by advocating a "better distribution of wealth" without defining his terms and constraints. Is taxation theft? Do Catholics favor theft? Do Govts have a God-given right to tax? To impose prior restraint? Are vices crimes? Why is it that the Govt can spy with impunity on citizens while the citizens who seek to find out about the activities of the Govt are threatened with death? What gives the Govt the right to "punish" sinners? Does God speak through the State? Those are some examples of questions the Pope need to ponder before he next pontificates on matters of "distribution of wealth" and its corollary, the "distribution of power".

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  3. What do you expect? The guy has never had to run a business or risk his own capital. He has no idea how wealth is produced. It just magically shows up in the collection plate every week.

    Maybe we can ship him Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson as a primer to the real world. Clearly, this guy is in desperate need of an education.

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  4. "I am convinced that from such an openness to the transcendent a new political and business mentality can take shape, one capable of guiding all economic and financial activity within the horizon of an ethical approach which is truly humane."

    I would like the Pope to have some "openness" to basic economics, a history book or two, and an appreciation for the distinction between intentions and consequences.


    But hey, who cares if people suffer, so long as you can say pretty words and project an image of being "socially responsible" or "a warrior for social justice", right?

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  5. I don't see socialism there. Is there a call for government apportionment of resources and capital in his speech? I think all of his goals depend upon morally upright actors in the economic drama. Bad morals make a bad economic system, whether capitalist or socialist...as individual actors become "worser" so also the entire system.

    Has anyone ever explored alternates to the binary socialist/capitalist mindset? In my estimation, the US is now a hybrid of the two, which is not a good thing. I am curious about the works of Adler and Kelso, exploring a Capitalism with wider ownership of Capital. Maybe there is something there to consider, I don't know yet.

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    1. There have been many such attempts, but they tend to be incoherent and contradictory. See, e.g., Chesterton and Belloc's Distributism.

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    2. “If you’re cynical about government and think that our politicians are bought off by the super-rich and special interests, this may be the cause for you. If you think our representatives should put the interests of the country before their own re-election, you may want to get in on this.”

      http://billmoyers.com/content/nh-rebellion-in-the-footsteps-of-granny-d/

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  6. Not shocking since this pope is from the basket-case country of Argentina.

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  7. Those attending Davos do not need this exhortation from the Pope; this is what the elite want to hear and implement in any case.

    Hopefully, the Pope is just too ignorant to realize he is playing right into the hands of the oppressors. The alternative explanation is not so charitable.

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  8. that guy is dangerous

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  9. Bob, you are giving the statement too much credit to call it socialist. It is meaningless gobbledygook. What on earth is he specifically calling for? Who knows? But now Catholics will once again fight with each other over what the Pope "really meant." The Pope wants more redistribution, the Left will say. But he doesn't want a simply "welfare mentality," the Right will say. And the whole episode is pointless.

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  10. The Pope is in favor of bullying, lying, theft, counterfeiting , etc. He's a Catholic? News at 11.

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    1. Yes, bullying, lying, theft, fraud, etc. are consistent with Catholic faith and morals, just as they were when Pope Pete was running his little commune. (See Acts 4 and 5.) What's new about this bleeding heart pope is the increased vigor with which he expects his followers to practice Catholic faith and morals.

      For additional insight into papist faith and morals, see also Luke's short story about a nobleman in Luke 19:12-27. The nobleman, i.e. Jesus, goes away like Herod to obtain kingly power and returns to his realm. Then, after rewarding obedient servants, the king shows how to deal with subjects who defy his will and who are dumb enough to be hanging around when it's time to reckon accounts.

      Now, in case you're STILL in denial about the character and mentality of our bleeding heart pope and his Holy See, have a gander at Unam Sanctam, a bull issued many centuries ago. In it another humble do-gooder asserts that the temporal sword is in the power of his church to control.

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  11. Let's be clear about the 'ism being attached to the Pope's economic ideas and that is no matter how much people want to attribute them to socialism, they are not since he seems to have no issue with capital and private ownership but rather distribution of the fruits of ownership (profit). That is not socialism, that is closer to fascism. Of course, most of the political parties in Europe that call themselves socialists are for the most part socialists in name only but in reality they are more closer to being fascists. While socialism and fascism are just different versions of the same evil, it seems that no mainstream political group wants the label fascism placed upon them even though their beliefs are for the most part fascist. It seems the public has been brain washed into seeing Socialists as benign and fascist as pure evil. Perhaps proper labeling would help people understand what these groups are really all about.

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  12. Distributism was mentioned by Dave (January 22, 2014 at 11:54 AM), but it's worth mentioning again given the perniciousness of the Apostolic See and all of its sympathizers.

    See also "Modern Catholic Dictionary" for the entry of liberalism. There we find useful eye-openers such as "...liberalism was condemned by Pope Pius IX in 1864 in the Syllabus of Errors (Denzinger, 2977-80)." (It's by the way that the dictionary was the work of another Jesuit.)

    Finally, see Acts 5:1-11 for an anecdote concerning Peter's commune. I'll summarize it briefly: Peter has Ananias and Sapphira whacked to resolve what is at most a contract dispute and, as suggested in v. 11, to intimidate "the whole church and all who heard about these events".

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  13. I made the above allusion to a third way, bringing up Adler and such. I almost brought up Distributism, but I thought the fact that it was championed by Catholics Chesterton and Belloc might be too off-putting to many. Another Catholic's take on the topic: Fulton Sheen's republished book "Freedom Under God" apparently addresses freedom and Capitalism, in response to the socialist influences in the world in 1940. It is on my "to read" list now,

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    1. Got Freedom Under God? The proper hierarchical response would be, that Chesterton and Belloc are the other Catholic's. After reading the book you will discover why he is referred too as Venerable Fulton J. Sheen. Two hundred and sixty four pages of right reason regarding collectivism, socialism and monopoly capitalism. Liberty and its relationship to person, property, productive property and the flowering of personality; is the central theme, God Love You.

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