The Thomistic Institute

On Distributism | Prof. Andrew Abela

10 snips
Mar 10, 2021
Prof. Andrew Abela discusses Distributism, advocating for widespread property ownership over redistribution. They explore the roots in 20th-century English Catholic authors, Pope Leo XIII's influence, Rerum Novarum's impact on faith and workers' rights, critiques of capitalism, and challenges in achieving distributism amidst obstacles like corporate welfare and usury.
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INSIGHT

Defining Distributism

  • Distributism is an economic system advocating for widespread property ownership, not redistribution.
  • It emphasizes distributed as an adjective, describing a state of being spread out, not an action of distributing.
ANECDOTE

Lay Leaders and Leo XIII

  • Prof. Abela highlights the role of Catholic lay leaders, like Prince Carl Zu Loewenstein, in prompting Pope Leo XIII to address the social question.
  • Loewenstein's great-grandson confirmed this story to Abela, emphasizing the impact of Leo's vocational guidance.
INSIGHT

Chesterton on Property vs. Enterprise

  • G.K. Chesterton distinguished between private enterprise and private property, arguing for the latter's importance in distributism.
  • He illustrated this using the example of a thief, a champion of private enterprise but not of private property.
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