Rerum Novarum

Pope Leo XIII

May 15, 1891

History
Pope Leo XIII
The terrible exploitation and poverty of European and
North American during the end of the 19th Century.
The document was inspired by the work of the
Fribourg Union, a Catholic Social Action movement in
Germany, and by request form the hierarchy in
England, Ireland, and the United States.

 Examines the situation of the poor people and

workers in industrialized countries
Role of the Church, workers and employers,
and the law and public authorities in working
together to build a just society.
Employers are given the major role as agents
for change.

OUTLINE
It has 64 paragraphs
3 main topics
The Balance between labour and capital
The Common good or Role of the Church
The Role of the state.

Balance between Labour

and Capital
It is no easy matter to define the relative rights and mutual
duties of the rich and of the poor, of capital and of labor and to
provoke people which may lead to a revolt. (#2)
For, every man has by nature the right to possess property as
his own one of the chief points of distinction between man
and the animal creation, for the brute has no power of self
direction (#6)
The wealthy and the working men are intended by nature to
live in mutual conflict.
Law of nature: Mans motive and reason in engaging in labor is
to obtain property. (#9,5)

Balance between Labour

and Capital
Workers Duties to give everyone his due

(#20)

to perform the work which has been freely agreed upon;

never to injure the property,
never to resort to violence in defending their own cause,
Employer must never tax his work people beyond their
strength

Rich must refrain from cutting down the workmen's

earnings, whether by force, by fraud.
To defraud any one of wages that are his due is a great
crime which cries to the avenging anger of Heaven.

Balance between Labour

and Capital
Socialism must be rejected since it injures those whom
should benefit.
Inequality is far from disadvantageous. Social and public
means can only be maintained by various capacity. Each
man has a role. (#17)
Capital cannot do without labor and labor cannot do without
capital. (#19)
When people go on strike or become voluntarily idle it is
because work hours are too long or too toxic or because
their wages are insufficient.

Balance between Labour

and Capital
Cessation from work and labor on Sundays and
certain Holy Days. (#41)
10 commandments
He rested on the 7th Day.

Daily labor should be regulated.

Works in hazardous places like mines and quarries
shall have shorter work hours.

Employee and Employer relations

Summary
Evidently,
something must be done for the workers who are
suffering
guilds, which have disappeared, cannot protect
the worker
states and public institutions have rejected the
faith
wealth is in the hands of the few, which creates a
new kind of slavery. (#3)