Help Understanding Church Teachings On Social Reform

[Catholictothecore]

Hello, Scholars.

So, I've been having a bit of an internal struggle in my mind lately. In the past few years, I've been researching world history of the 20th Century, politically. Most of this I do in my own spare time. It's a hobby I enjoy.

It has left me in a bit of a philosophical quandry. And I'm having some trouble finding sources of information that I trust.

The three main political forces of the 20th Century were Capitalism vs Socialism vs Communism. It's astounding to me how much of history boils down to them. The struggles between East and West. The Red Scare in America, which lead to some of the biggest fear mongering of all time. And the senseless neglect of goverment towards their own people. It's all very interesting reading, to say the least.

Its not hard to see why the Church condemns Socialism and Communism. The face of one is Hitler, and the other is Stalin. They left thier marks all over the history books. At the very least, these ideologies are commonly wrong in their rejection of God. Socialism replaces God with the State, and Communism does the same with the people. Or, at least, the promise of the people.

But Capitalism is no better. It replaces God with wealth. Or, at best, the rights of "I". It is selfish and debased, and we Americans of the 21st century don't have to look much further than our own backyard to see why.

I acutely sense how much of our world needs help. And im not the only one. It's like the human race is bleeding to death. And our church isn't always looking too good itself. We could really use a Francis of Assissi about now.

I'm stuck. I feel achey from too much thinking. How do we make this world a better place when everything we do seems to end so tragically wrong?

Im very glad, some days, that no one can see the things I look up online. I would rather know about things than not. I am neither Socialist, Communist, nor Capitalist. All three suck. But I do believe that God charged us with the care of this earth, and all the people in it. So, what in the world are we supposed to do?

Lately, I've been discerning going into Politics. I believe that if good men don't try, we shouldn't complain when bad men run the show. But it does seem rather like learning about sailing, trying to help as you are all on the tail end of the Titanic, sticking high above the waves.

My dad always says that godless capitalism is actually the same as godless communism. They both try to wrench God out of the picture. It's true. And it's very confusing.

I guess my questions could be formed like this. In a world so desperately in need of social reform, what are we supposed to believe? Why hasn't the church condemned capitalism as fiercely as socialism and communism? What does authentuc, Catholic social reform look like?

I don't know what I expect in terms of answers. But I do know that I trust the Church. I just wish that I could find its teachings on social reform laid out as clearly and concisely as I find explanations of everything else.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Catholictothecore

[Theoketos]

The Church does condemn  Capitalism. It tacitly approves of a free market, but not without laws which protect the dignity of the weak. 

 

As to why the magisterium spends more times condemning the other two, in which kind of economy would you like to live or  run a church in?

 

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum_en.html

 

^Rerum Novarum by Leo