Classical liberalism of Rerum Novarum : the Vatican's tactic to survive the modern era

Abstract

The paper shows that Rerum Novarum, the first papal encyclical on social teachings, turns out to be one of the comprehensive assemblages of the classical liberal theories in the 19th century. With its publication, the Catholic Church took a competitive position in propagating classical liberalism. In effect, its proclamation marked not only the spectacular reentry of the Catholic Church into the ideological front where it had been marginalized since the Enlightenment, but also its transfiguration into an effective ally of the dominant capitalist class in checking the ever-increasing threat from the socialist movement and maintaining the status quo.