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.
Citation
Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 2012, article 201206