Populorum Progressio

(On the development of the peoples)

Background• Date released: March 26, 1967• Author: Pope Paul VI• Context/ Situation: The Vietnam War rages

and African nations fighting wars of independence.

• Addressed to: All Catholics, Christians and All men of Good Will.

“Populorum Progressio”• People’s program or Progressive development of

people.

• It represents the deep interest of the encyclical which is about man’s complete development(social, cultural, political, economical and spiritual) and the development of all mankind in a more human world.

• To act to such effect that each person in the world, and all people put together, can progress all the way towards complete development.

FOCUS/CONCERNI. Man’s personal development• Colonialism (widening gap between rich and poor)• Role of the Church in the development• Personal ResponsibilityII. Development for all the people• Mutual Solidarity• Social Justice• Universal Charity• Development: new name for Peace• Final Appeal

The Widening Gap• In the old days, colonizers simply used their colonies for

their own interest, power and prestige. Their departure left the colonized countries’ economy unstable. Thus, certain types of colonialism surely caused harm and paved the way for further troubles.

• On the other hand, not all they did was bad. At least they brought some science and technology, education, better health, improved communication, and better living standards.

• Nevertheless, these benefits are no match for the harsh economic realities of today.

• Some nations produce a food surplus, other nations are in desperate need of food or are unsure of their export market……there are inequalities not merely in enjoyment of possessions, but even more in exercise of power. (PP#8)

• In many lands, a few rich people still dominate the rest. While they enjoy a civilized existence, the rest stay poor. And worse, they are deprived of any say in how their lives are run. For them both life and work lack human dignity.

• The disparity between the rich and poor nations increases; rich nations are progressing with rapid strides while poor nations move at a slow pace.

Church and the Development• The Church has never failed to foster human

progress of the nations…besides erecting sacred edifices, her missionaries have promoted construction of hospitals, sanitariums, schools and universities. (PP#12)

• The Church shares in people’s highest hopes and longs to help them reach their goals.

Personal Responsibility• In God’s plan, every single person is called upon to grow.

From birth, we carry within ourselves the seeds of personal growth (aptitudes and abilities). These are to be cultivated so that they may bear fruit. Thus, we work our way towards the goal set for us by the Creator.

• With God’s gift of both intellect and will, We are all responsible for growing as we should. Those who teach us, and those who surround us in life, can help, as they can hinder. But each individual remains the one who is chiefly responsible for failure or success in the way he or she grows.

• Self-development is not optional. It is our obligation.

• Every man and woman is a part of humanity. All are called to grow together . We reap benefits from earlier generations therefore we cannot disregard the welfare of those who will come after us. This is solidarity.

• Progress demands research to look for a new humanism that will guarantee a transition from less than human condition to truly human ones.

Less Human More Human

• Lack the means of life

•Abuse of ownership or improper exercise of power

•Exploitation of worker and unjust transactions

• Acquire life’s necessities

•Respect for person’s dignity

•Interest in common good

•Desire for peace

Development for All• People cannot progress by themselves alone. It entails a

joint effort for the development of human race as a whole.

• We have the duty to promote:1) Mutual solidarity – rich nations must give aid to developing

nations.

2) Social justice - trade between two countries, one rich, one poor, is not to be one-sided or in favor of the rich.

3) Universal charity - build a more humane world, where all can give and receive, and where progress of some is not bought at the expense of the other.

Solidarity• It is not just a question of eliminating hunger

and reducing poverty. It is not just a question of fighting wretched conditions. It involves building a human community where men can live truly human lives, free from discrimination and servitude to other men. (PP#47)

• It calls for great generosity, willing sacrifice and diligent effort on the part of the rich man.

• ‘Developed nations have an urgent duty to help the developing ones.’ -VC II

• No country can keep its wealth just for itself alone. All nations should produce more goods, and better goods, for the benefit of the whole human race.

• Dialogue between nations helps in the assessment of what support is to be provided and to keep track whether this assistance is carried out.

Justice • All efforts in helping developing nations will be useless

if there is unstable trade relations between poor and rich nations. Poor nations will lose hope/trust if they fear that what is given to them with one hand is being taken away with the other.

• Social justice demands that trade between the nations should be on equal terms. What applies to national economies and to highly developed nations must also apply to trade relations between rich and poor nations.

UNIVERSAL CHARITY• Those who are sent to work in developing

countries need to have good social sense. As managers, or merchants, or agents of the big concerns, they need to be among the first to work for social progress.

• They should find out ways to develop human potentials.

• “Plans proposed for man’s betterment will unite all nations in the joint effort to be undertaken, If every citizen– be he a government leader, a public official, or a simple workman– is motivated by brotherly love and is truly anxious to build one universal human civilization that spans the globe.” (PP#73)

• Each should do as much as he can, as best as he can, to counteract the slow pace of progress in some nations. (PP#75)

• God is All Powerful. To God, then, we must pray that all humankind uses its mind and will in the battle for progress.

Development is the new name for Peace

• People trying to develop must help themselves. But the development that leads to peace can come only when all peoples help each other.

• Peace is the fruit of anxious daily care to see that everyone lives in justice as God intends

• Peace is not just an absence of warfare, it involves efforts directed day after day towards establishment of an ordered universe willed by God, with a more perfect form of justice among men. Unless we are united in this progress towards God, the peace and the future civilization is at stake.

Final Appeal• We must travel this road together, united in

minds and hearts. Hence, we feel it necessary to remind everyone of the seriousness of this issue in all its dimensions, and to impress upon then the need for action. (PP#80)

To Catholics,All Catholics are called to actThe laity must take the Christian spirit into the

minds and hearts of people, into morality and laws, into the structures of society. The laity must breathe the spirit of the Gospel into the changes and reforms that have come.

To Christians and Believers,Expand their common cooperative efforts to bring

peace through development. This means overcoming selfishness, pride, rivalries, ambitions and injustice

All Men of Goodwill, Everyone has a part to play in the construction of a new

world.

Government Authorities, Draw your communities into closer ties of solidarity.

Task for all, We call on the world’s wise men and women who thirst for

truth and justice. All those who hear the cries of human suffering, all those

who work to set the world aright, are true apostles. The sharing of wealth that moves from self-centeredness to

genuine brotherhood and sisterhood and a sign of God’s loving care for all.

Main Teachings1) Pope Paul VI reminds us that Christ cited the preaching

of the Gospel to the poor as a sign of the church's mission.

2) The pope through his letter appeals for a concrete action towards the development of the totality of the person and as well as the development of everyone.

3) It aims to promote total humanism.

4) Nations must know how to assess critically and eliminate those things which are not necessary that will lower the human ideals

5) Try to raise the morals of the people to be aware of this fact, especially if they are Christians because they have a moral obligation towards each other.

Guiding PrinciplesPrinciple of Common GoodThe signs of the times and the Principle of

SubsidiarityThe preferential option for the poor and

vulnerable Principle of Participation