Pope Francis has attacked unfettered capitalism as “a new tyranny“, urging global leaders to fight poverty and growing inequality in the first major work he has authored alone as pontiff.
In it, Francis went further than previous comments criticising the global economic system,attacking the “idolatry of money” and beseeching politicians to guarantee all citizens “dignified work, education and healthcare“.
He also called on rich people to share their wealth. “Just as the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills,” Francis wrote in the document issued on Tuesday.
“How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?”
The 76-year-old pontiff calls for an overhaul of the financial system and warns that unequal distribution of wealth inevitably leads to violence.
“As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems,” he wrote.
“I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor.”
The Pope also wrote,
“In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting.”
Finally, a Daniel comes to judgement in Christianity. Finally, a true Christian takes over the reigns of Christianity. Since he was made Pope, this man of God has not been afraid to speak up and out about the evils of the world and wrongs that are being visited on humans by other humans.
