Rerum Novarum: On The Condition Of Labor By Pope Leo XIII

Decent Essays
Rerum Novarum “On the Condition of Labor” The social encyclical Rerum Novarum, written by Pope Leo XIII, addresses several prominent social issues that occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries. From urging better working conditions to advocating for the just payment of those laboring, Pope Leo XIII asserts that these social issues can be addressed by implementing the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church. Every human being has an inalienable right to possess property and to allocate his or her income as he or she pleases. He explains that there would be no hope to increase one’s current lifestyle if the fruits of one's labor were to be distributed amongst the population but not to the laborer and his or her family. Pope Leo XIII argues that throughout history, …show more content…
A government's decision to practice socialism, although its intent is to provide justice and equality for all those in need, actually hurts that country by removing the incentive to work for remuneration and violating the right to own property. By contrasting the inherent qualities between animals and humans, such as the capacity to reason, he demonstrates how humans have the right to possess more materials than animals can. While animals search for temporary materials, such as food and water, humans have the innate right to own not only those immediate materials such as food and water, but also to own lasting materials, such as property. He addresses the argument that God did not intend for there to be private property since the Earth was made for all by explaining how skill is required to yield the fruits the Earth provides. Every laborer has the right to ‘own’ the land on which he or she has labored on. By asking rhetorical questions

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