The Modern State Causes the Problems it Pretends to Fix

[Michie]

Pope Leo XIII affirms that a well governed State will promote the material and moral prosperity of its citizens, will honor private property and free association, and will protect the poor from abuse or depredation by the rich.

How to do these things? Leo lays down four principles.

The first is what I’ll call the Principle of Moral Health. “A State,” he says, “chiefly prospers and thrives through moral rule, well-regulated family life [family life directed from within by the moral law], respect for religion and justice, the moderation and equal allocation of public taxes, the progress of the arts and of trade, [and] the abundant yield of the land.” The emphasis is on direction from the objective moral law, and on a combination of self-restraint and industriousness.

Continued- The Modern State Causes the Problems it Pretends to Fix | Crisis Magazine

 

[Kotton]

The Modern State Causes the Problems it Pretends to Fix

And we have really experienced this in recent times.

 

[Fantine]

When I decide to be bled with leeches the next time I get sick instead of seeking modern medical attention I will start listening to nineteenth century wisdom to solve twenty-first century problems.

I am not discounting that Pope Leo XIII may have been very wise in his time.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I see. Popes do not teach about science. [leeches] but they teach about morals and faith which includes human dignity.

I understand you dont want to have prosperity and private property - so i will make a deal with you. Give me your savings - your home and everything else you worked for.

We'll call it a deal. After all - what makes you believe you should keep them? Since my family is struggling...

 

[WarriorAngel]

Leo could not have foreseen that “the State” would become interest in its own right, a new aristocracy, but utterly detached from locale and tradition and unknown to their subjects. The true State thrives by moral rule. But “the State,” the cancerous Metastate, thrives by immorality. It helps to cause the chaos it then pretends to ameliorate. Strong and self-reliant families hurt the Metastate, so the Metastate rewards profligacy and licentiousness, and promotes the easy severance of father from children. The Metastate knows that if people but make an earnest attempt to govern themselves by the Ten Commandments and the Gospel, they will be free and prosperous, and the Metastate will shrivel. Perish the thought.

I concur

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Selectively using the good Pope Leo's writings to basically enforce Libertarianism is not only disengenious and intellectually dishonest it's down right offensive from a Theological point of view.

For one thing claiming workers are protected in the current environment is crazy talk.

 

[Fantine]

Excellent summation, Charlie.

I can see you wouldn't choose to be bled by leeches, either.