Catholics And Social Democracy

[fons_vitae]

I've recently become very interested with the European model of social democracy, sometimes called simply "socialism" by those in the U.S. and sometimes by social democrats themselves. Obviously they are on the left side of the political spectrum, but they don't actually resemble the "Socialism" condemned by the pontiffs as totalitarian, violent, antireligious, and wishing to abolish all private property. In fact, Pope Benedict XVI has even remarked positively about democratic socialism, which is slightly further left than social democracy.

However, would this be considered the moderate socialism that Pope Pius XI warned against? I'm just curious whether I'd be out of bounds supporting social democracy itself, not the violent revolutionary movements which previously claimed the mantle of socialism.

[Theoketos]

Good question. I would like to see a citation for Pope Benedict remarking on democratic socialism.

I suppose that men and women of good will are attracted in earnest to this political out of need to provide for the weak.

The main problem with socialism, as you describe it, from the view of the Church's Social Doctrine, is that it violates the principle of subsidiarity too easily, and maybe even intrinsically.

Recall that a subsidiarity is a smaller group inside or under a larger one.

So the principle states that those in authority should not take over the duties those under them (except in cases of emergency) but should instead facilitate them.

E.g. The family ought to raise its children. Raising children is good for the virtue of the Parents. Society, including the state, ought to make it as easy as possible and ever reward those who do because it is an epic task. But if there is abuse or willful neglect the state, as the arbiter of the common good, must step in.

(FYI This rejection of government driven social reform does not mean the acceptance of the American Conservative movement.)