The Godless Roots of Socialism - CATHERINE RUTH PAKALUK - Principles
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The Godless
Roots of
Socialism
C AT H E R I N E R U T H PA K A L U K
WHAT IS IT ABOUT SOCIALISM? About the Author
It seems that the arguments against
it, no matter how finely tuned, have
to be made over and over again in
every generation.
It pops up in one nation faster
than it can be put down in another.
The sons of men who fought against
it frequently grow up to fight for it.
In some places, it is the fashion of
the youth and, in others, the fashion Catherine Ruth Pakaluk, PhD, is assistant
professor of social research and economic
of the old. And although Pope Pius
thought at the Catholic University of America
XI declared in May 1931, “Religious and coauthor (with Trent Horn) of Can A
socialism, Christian socialism, are Catholic Be A Socialist? The Answer is No—
contradictory terms; no one can be Here’s Why (Catholic Answers Press, 2019,
available at Catholic.com and at Amazon).
at the same time a good Catholic
She lives in Hyattsville, Maryland, with her
and a true socialist,” we continue to husband, philosopher Michael Pakaluk, and
find arguments in favor of socialism, eight children.
and even outright communism,
published by Catholics. For instance,
in July 2019, the Jesuit magazine described socialist congresswoman
America published a feature-length from New York, is the “future of the
article titled, “The Catholic Case for Catholic Church.”
Communism.” And just last year, Just what is going on here? Hasn’t
in July of 2020, the executive editor socialism been tried and found
of the National Catholic Reporter wanting? Hasn’t it been repudiated
published a piece declaring that by the example of the world’s most
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the self- notoriously evil regimes, including
volume vii, issue i
Lenin and Stalin’s Soviet Union THE SPIRITUAL ROOT OF
(the USSR, or the Union of Soviet SOCIALISM: GODLESSNESS
Socialist Republics), Hitler’s Third
Reich (“Nazi” is an abbreviation for In his 1983 Templeton Address,
National Socialists), Mao’s China Alexander Solzhenitsyn maintained
and the present-day CCP (Chinese that “the principal trait of the entire
Communist Party, working for the twentieth century,” and the cause
socialist revolution), and many more of its many conflagrations, was that
horrific examples? Why doesn’t this “Men have forgotten God.” Although
“specter,” as Marx himself called it, Solzhenitsyn’s critique is well-
go away for good? known, less so is the fact that Pope
In general, socialism refers to Pius XI penned nearly the same
the set of philosophical, political, words six decades earlier in his
and economic theories that extol first encyclical letter, Ubi Arcano Dei
communal ownership of property Consilio: “Because men have forsaken
and the confiscation of private God and Jesus Christ, they have sunk
property to be disposed of by the to the depths of evil.”
state. Communism (with a large “C” Writing in 1922, after the horrors
or a small “c”) refers to those political of the Great War (1914-1918), the
ideologies that give to socialism a Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917),
specific political form aligned with and the Mexican Revolution (1910-
Marxist-Hegelian theories of class 1920), Pius asked whether we could
struggle. Therefore, all communists not find a “more profound cause
are socialists, though some socialists for the present-day conditions.” He
are not communists. In what follows, located the trouble precisely in the
I will generally treat socialism and atheistic state and hostility to God—
communism interchangeably, since especially in the areas of family and
socialism is the broader category to education:
which all communism belongs. But It was a quite general desire that
I am on safe ground as a student of both our laws and our governments
the social teaching of the Church. should exist without recognizing
The popes have not carved out God or Jesus Christ, on the theory
a special exception for forms of that all authority comes from men,
socialism that are not communist. not from God. […] Legislation was
Any form of socialism that is true to passed which did not recognize that
its philosophical roots is treated with either God or Jesus Christ had any
the same extreme censure by the rights over marriage, an erroneous
popes. In delineating the differences view which debased matrimony to
between communism and socialism, the level of a mere civil contract.
for instance, Pius XI wrote: “If […] Added to all this God and Jesus
Socialism, like all errors, contains Christ, as well as His doctrines, were
some truth (which, moreover, the banished from the school. As a sad but
Supreme Pontiffs have never denied), inevitable consequence, the school
it is based nevertheless on a theory of became not only secular and non-
human society peculiar to itself and religious, but openly atheistic and
irreconcilable with true Christianity.” anti-religious.
2 | volume vii, issue i
As we now know, the horrors that
opened the twentieth century,
despite Pius XI’s lament, did not lead This article is brought
to repentance and conversion but to to you by
an increasing spirit of death. Over the
next half-century, almost without
pause, wars raged around the globe, K ATH LE E N
and nations adopted, sometimes
with great fanfare, deeply misguided M I LLE R
policies from a moral and spiritual
point of view: divorce, contraception, Please join us in
abortion, and euthanasia, in some praying for her
instances even declaring these
policies to represent fundamental
intentions and
rights “at the heart of liberty.” That thanking God for her
is why, when an exiled prisoner of generosity.
conscience from communist Russia
had the opportunity to make one
To learn more about sponsoring
great statement before the nations of Principles articles and online classes,
the free West, he offered no words of contact Adam Wilson at 540-551-9199.
1909 British Conservative Party poster.
celebration but rather a rebuke and
a warning: “Men have forgotten God; attend worship services, and only a
that is why all this has happened.” little more than a third (37%) report
Today, almost forty years after attending services weekly. No one
Solzhenitsyn’s address and a can seriously contend that the
century after Pius’ admonition, an United States as a whole is becoming
honest assessment of public and more mindful of God. If we define
private life would give little ground a social category of “separation
for encouragement. The United from God” or “godlessness” that
States had long been regarded as an includes atheists, agnostics, the
exception to the trend of secularity religiously unaffiliated, and all those
in the West, especially as compared who attend worship services only
to Europe. But the Christian share occasionally, then more than 60% of
of the U.S. population declined 8 U.S. adults fall into this category. The
percentage points, from 78.4% to principal crisis for many nations in
70.6%, in the span of time that Obama the twentieth century has become
was president. Eight percentage so for the United States too in the
points in eight years! During the twenty-first.
same interval, the percentage of What has all this to do with
U.S. adults describing themselves socialism? To understand, we might
as religiously unaffiliated—atheist, turn again to Pius XI who reigned
agnostic, or “nothing in particular,” from 1922 to 1939. The last major
the “nones”—increased more than encyclical of his Pontificate, Divini
6 points, from 16.1% to 22.8%. Redemptoris (1937, on Atheistic
Further, roughly a third of U.S. adults Communism), dealt with exactly this
say that they “seldom” or “never” question. The Popes of the Leonine
|3
with its consequent violent hate
and destruction takes on the aspects
of a crusade for the progress of
humanity. On the other hand, all
other forces whatever, as long as
they resist such systematic violence,
must be annihilated as hostile to the
human race.
Note how much today these words
seem eerily prophetic, as we recall
the year 2020, so full of tragic
violence in our American cities,
Pope Pius XI
justified everywhere by the banner
era sometimes used socialism of progress. More striking still, Pius
and communism interchangeably, XI did not expect the evils of his day
though communism specifically to be resolved.
characterizes those movements Nor can it be said that these atrocities
based on Marxist theories of class are a transitory phenomenon, the
struggle. The Pope singles out usual accompaniment of all great
especially the practice of violent revolutions, the isolated excesses
revolution, the overthrow of social common to every war. No, they
order, the persecution and abolition are the natural fruit of a system
of the Church, the usurpation of which lacks all inner restraint. […]
family life and economics by the Tear the very idea of God from
state, and the establishment of the hearts of men, and they
tyrannical regimes hostile to what are necessarily urged by their
Pius called the civitas humana, or passions to the most atrocious
humane society. barbarity. [Emphasis mine.] This,
The doctrine of modern Communism, unfortunately, is what we now
which is often concealed under the behold. For the first time in history,
most seductive trappings, is in we are witnessing a struggle, cold-
substance based on the principles blooded in purpose and mapped out
of dialectical and historical to the least detail, between man
materialism previously advocated and “all that is called God” (c.f. 2
by Marx, of which the theoricians Thessalonians 4). Communism is by
of bolshevism claim to possess the its nature anti-religious. It considers
only genuine interpretation. In such religion as “the opiate of the people”
a doctrine, as is evident, there is no because the principles of religion
room for the idea of God […] The which speak of a life beyond the
Communists claim that the conflict grave dissuade the proletariat from
which carries the world towards its the dream of a Soviet paradise which
final synthesis can be accelerated is of this world.
by man. Hence, they endeavor to Referencing St. Paul’s second letter
sharpen the antagonisms which to the Thessalonians, Pius XI calls
arise between the various classes atheistic communism a competitor
of society. Thus, the class struggle in this world to “all that is called
4 | volume vii, issue i
God.” So, the root inclination to Orthodox theologian who wants us
socialism is godlessness, which to “please relax about socialism”
rejects the principles of religion and has also become a universalist,
seeks to establish paradise on earth. rejecting the Christian dogma of
Yes, the Popes insist that socialism hell. Little wonder that our Christian
is predicated on philosophical republic in the twenty-first century,
mistakes about the nature of less mindful of God than ever, now
man, of property, and of economic suffers direct calls for socialism from
life. Yes, good economists insist candidates holding and running
that socialism can be rejected on for the highest public offices in the
theoretical, empirical, and historical land. And little wonder that we see
grounds. But the primary impulse manifested today many of the same
of socialism is evil, rooted in sin: marks of the communist regimes of
envy, greed, and dishonesty, just for the past and present: suppression
starters. of thought, of the Church, and of
One upshot of Pius’ position is the family; usurpation of economic
that the temporal and the spiritual life by the state; and the general
are far more intimately related overthrow of social order.
than we commonly suppose. It is I began by asking, what is up
not possible to say that there is a with socialism? Why does it resist
realm of spiritual life that inhabits being wholly discredited by its
the heart and soul and that such miserable failures? Why is it judged
a realm is divorced from, or lacks by its stated goals and not by
consequence, in the temporal actual performance? The reason for
order. Rather, there are direct and this, with the light of faith, is that
indirect effects of true Christianity socialism is a product of atheism, of
in society—and the lack thereof— being unattached from God and from
so beautifully expressed in the Holy Mother Church. In short, it is
fragment of the letter to Diognetus an inclination arising from sin in the
in the second century A.D.: “What human heart, temptations playing
the soul is in the body, Christians “on the poor man’s envy of the rich.”
are to the world.” It very much There is a lot packed into that line.
matters whether and how much we You do not have to be “poor” to fall
are connected to God—not merely prey. Any human difference can give
for our own souls but also for the rise to envy. Cain killed Abel out of
common good of humanity. envy. Sin rejects the differences that
“Tear the very idea of God from are part of human reality and part of
the hearts of men,” Pius XI says, and the economy of salvation. Ultimately,
“the most atrocious barbarity” will sin rejects what God has offered and
ensue. Not all barbarity is socialism, seeks to build the world in its own
but all socialism—because it is image, with its own past and its own
godless—leads to barbarity. Little future. Thus, contra mundum, the
wonder that Alexandria Ocasio- Church stands prepared to condemn
Cortez denounces our Catholic not only socialism, but even the
saints in public. Little wonder that inclinations that give rise to it, as
David Bentley Hart, the Eastern disordered.
|5ABOUT PRINCIPLES Animated by the joyful, lived experience of the faith,
Principles draws on the fruits of an authentically Catholic liberal arts education to explore the
ideas necessary to live a fully integrated Catholic life: one that upholds the value of human
dignity, the role of virtue in private and public spheres, and the centrality of charity in both
thought and action. We envision a Church—and a watching world—that embraces sound
reason rooted in a robust faith.
RESPONDING TO publishing Rerum Novarum gave
SOCIALISM: THE MISSION the Church “citizenship status” as it
were, amid the changing realities of
OF THE CHURCH
public life, and this standing would
The Second Vatican Council be more fully confirmed later on.
rightly declared that atheism was Looking back to Rerum Novarum,
“among the most serious problems we can find where Pope Leo stakes
of this age” and maintained that the this claim. After rejecting the errors
remedy to atheism is the Church of the socialists, he offers “to show
herself, “for it is the function of the where the remedy [to the problem of
Church, led by the Holy Spirit Who the working classes] sought for must
renews and purifies her ceaselessly, be found.”
to make God the Father and His We approach the subject with
Incarnate Son present and in a confidence, … for no practical
sense visible.” In this light, since solution of this question will be
socialism is a byproduct of atheism, found apart from the intervention
or separation from God, the answer of religion and of the Church. ...
to socialism is the Church herself. A We affirm without hesitation
spiritual problem needs a spiritual that all the striving of men will
solution. But this bears some further be in vain if they leave out the
explication. The example of John Church. [Emphasis mine.] It is the
Paul the Great could not be more Church that insists, on the authority
important for us today. of the Gospel, upon those teachings
Commenting on Pope Leo’s whereby the conflict can be brought
teaching in Rerum Novarum, John to an end, or rendered, at least,
Paul reminds us that the social far less bitter; the Church uses her
magisterium is not an exercise in efforts not only to enlighten the
mere human prudence. mind, but to direct by her precepts
In Pope Leo XIII’s time such a concept the life and conduct of each and all.
of the Church’s right and duty was Thus, the special role of the Church
far from being commonly admitted. in correcting calls for socialism
Indeed, a two-fold approach is to bring to bear the Gospel in
prevailed: one directed to this world the world, the integration of the
and this life, to which faith ought Church into the life of society. Leo
to remain extraneous; the other pleads that “The striving of men
directed towards a purely other- will be in vain if they leave out the
worldly salvation, which neither Church.” The social magisterium
enlightens nor directs existence aims, therefore, to sanctify social
on earth. The Pope’s approach in realities and, if not to end bitterness,
6 | volume vii, issue ito make it “far less bitter.” She does best of my abilities. But I have spent
this principally through her mission the better part of three decades
to souls: grace! The Church cannot be observing, with great disgust, that
left out. The life of grace transforms the facts have not been enough, that
hearts, fosters virtue, and impels powerful forces have systematically
men and women to lives of heroism prevented “good science” from
and sacrifice, accepting the burdens reaching scientific publications and
that cannot be avoided and seeking from being cited and promoted.
remedies through truth, freedom, I have watched, in almost every
and ingenuity for those burdens that subfield of my discipline, a distortion
bear improvement. of the facts to meet the goals.
As a young student of economics These frustrations have led me to
in the late 1990s, I believed very much refine my youthful idealism about
that getting it right about the facts of science. Neither economics, nor any
economic growth would lead swiftly other science, is a neutral or stable
to a reversal in the population- ground because it cannot evaluate
control policies that were by then its own assumptions. Science only
already widely practiced. I believed becomes good when it cooperates
that good science would lead in with a complete picture of the “truth
that direction and that we should about God and man,” a picture that it
have confidence that the findings cannot itself supply.
of honest research would not Economic disputes, like those
contradict the laws of God. Today I within medicine, public health, and
still believe that. And in my research, politics, always reflect deeper
I still aim to do “good science” to the disputes about the meaning of
human life and the mystery of
reality. Thus, it is one thing to
understand where socialism goes
wrong—to see how it makes fatal
errors. But to counter the full force
PRODUCTION MANAGER and power of socialism, we need
Adam Wilson more than to unpack the mistakes. I
offer these reflections, therefore, as
ART DIRECTOR an apostle for good economics, but
Niall O’Donnell
as an apostle, I hope much more for
© 2021 Christendom College the strength and splendor of the
The opinions expressed in are not
Church. Above all, we must be
necessarily the views of Christendom College. prepared to fight socialism with the
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birthright and the true envy of the
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Photo on cover: Girl sits in front of a wall picture
G E T P R I N C I P L E S .C O M that shows the communist leaders Marx and Lenin
in Mozambique, Africa.
Referenced sources are listed in the article at
getprinciples.com.
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