Stanowisko Rerum novarum i innych encyklik papieskich wobec indywidualistycznego liberalizmu

Abstrakt

The author points out that the origins of individualism can be found as late as in ancient and medieval philosophy. Before it dominated the philosophical thought it had achieved success in the religious domain during the Reformation. There is a clear cut link between individualism and liberalism in Locke's works. Then it was taken over by classic economy. Individualistic liberalism, referring to the principle of free competition, led to the licence of the rich individuals who tended to gain a maximum income at the cost of those who had no property (Capitalism in the 19th c.). Individualistic liberalism embraced also social, political, cultural, religious and political life. In the 19th c. Catholic thinkers from the school of social reforms (Kettler, dela Tour du Pin, de Mun, Mermillod, Tonilo) strongly opposed individualistic liberalism. The school of social solidarism was also against this kind of liberalism (Pesch).

The pope Gregory XVI took a critical standpoint towards individualistic liberalism (the enc. Mirari vos of 1832). The same stanpoint adopted Pius IX (the enc. Quanta cura of 1864). Leo XIII critical evaluated individualistic philosophy in the encyclicals: (Diuturnum illud, 1881), Immortale Dei (1885), Libertas (1888) and Rerum novarum (1891). The latter contains not only the criticism of individualistic liberalism but also points at the socio-economical consequences: pauperization of the society, unjust division of the social revenue, inability of the workers to possess a property, imposing low wages on the workers, unemployment, encroachement upon the rights of the working people, decline of morality, treating workers as a tool of profit. The reasons of the above consequences come from the atheistic and materialistic vision of man. It has a bearing on the misunderstanding of freedom, making it identical with self-will.

According to Pius XI (Quadragesimo anno) the error of individualistic liberalism consist, among other things, in disregarding: the dignity of a worker, social character of a farm, social justice and the common good. The unlimited free competition has led to a treble struggle, ie a struggle for controlling economical life, for gaining power in the state and a struggle between states. It has led to imperialism. Pius XII pointed out that „capitalism based on liberalism brings about deletorious consequences in economical, social and moral life”. John XXIII emphasized that absolute liberalization of economy is morally harmful and economically ineffective. It causes irreparable chaos. Vatican Council II calls „those doctrines false which under the guise of false freedom oppose the introduction of reforms and disregard the basic rights of individuals”. According to Paul VI „free play does not safeguard human freedom”. Philosophical liberalism contains in its principes false statements about the autonomy of individuals, about the absolute right of property, about free competition as a principal norm, about profit as the main drive of progress. John Paul II says that liberalism has led to the forming of a consumptive civilization in which the abuse of the freedom of one group leads to the abuse of other people's freedom. Things have been given priority over the person. Human labour is taken only in the economical categories. He thinks that „strict capitalism inspired by individualistic liberalism must be revised in order to make reforms with a view to man's rights understood possibly broadely. These are rights connected with man's labour”.