The Pope Will Help The Poor By Embracing Capitalism
Stephanie Slade writes at reason that Pope Francis, called the "slum pope" and "a pope for the poor," will best embrace his goal of helping people rise out of poverty if he learns a few basic economic concepts and stops "broadly and cavalierly (condemning) the market-driven economic development that has lifted a billion people out of extreme poverty within the lifetime of the typical millennial." Where the Pope goes wrong, for example:
The pope is enamored of the idea of "small-scale food production systems ... using a modest amount of land and producing less waste, be it in small agricultural parcels, in orchards and gardens, hunting and wild harvesting or local fishing." He does not seem to understand that it is mass-market production--including often-vilfiied biotech crops--that has freed millions of people from hunger by allowing us to reap far more food from far fewer resources.Productivity gains have been so great that humanity is on the brink of being able to release enormous tracts of farmland back to nature while feeding more people than ever before, according to researchers at the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller University. But resisting such advances out of skepticism or nostalgia can have devastating consequences. Take for example the story of Golden Rice, a genetically modified crop fortified with Vitamin A, whose introduction has been delayed since 2000 by government regulations. The grain has the potential to save up to 3 million poor people a year from going blind, and to alleviate Vitamin A deficiency--which compromises the immune system--in a quarter of a billion people a year. But unwarranted fears of "frankenfoods" have kept Golden Rice from widespread use in the developing world. In a study published last year in the journal Environment and Development Economics, scholars at Technische Universität München and the University of California, Berkeley estimated those delays resulted in the loss of 1.4 million life years over the past decade--and that was just in India.
There are moments when Pope Francis seems to comprehend all this. In his encyclical, he quotes the now-sainted Pope John Paul II that "science and technology are wonderful products of a God-given human creativity," and asks, "How can we not feel gratitude and appreciation for this progress?" But a few short pages later he suggests that "a decrease in the pace of production and consumption" would yet be for the best. The lasting impression is not of a staunch anti-capitalist tirelessly advocating for a well-thought-out alternative to the present system, but of a man confused about how to achieve the things he wants.
Nowhere is that confusion clearer than when Pope Francis discusses the environment, the overarching topic of Laudato Si. To preserve the earth he wants us to live simpler lives, as by the example he's set by eschewing the lavish trappings of the papacy. But he goes further than that, not just calling for individual restraint but also for government enforcement of what amounts to a reduction in overall economic activity. It does not seem to occur to him that this prescription might have adverse effects for the people still struggling to pull themselves out of desperate conditions and into the type of comfortable life he's asking the rest of us to forgo. For the poor, the problem isn't too much consumption, but too little wealth to afford the basic things the First World takes for granted.
Reason's Ronald Bailey writes about what a wonderful thing the Golden Rice could be in his new book, The End of Doom: Environmental Renewal in the Twenty-first Century
George Will writes about the Pontiff's "fact-free flamboyance":
The saint who is Francis's namesake supposedly lived in sweet harmony with nature. For most of mankind, however, nature has been, and remains, scarcity, disease and natural -- note the adjective -- disasters. Our flourishing requires affordable, abundant energy for the production of everything from food to pharmaceuticals. Poverty has probably decreased more in the past two centuries than in the preceding three millennia because of industrialization powered by fossil fuels. Only economic growth has ever produced broad amelioration of poverty, and since growth began in the late 18th century, it has depended on such fuels.Matt Ridley, author of "The Rational Optimist," notes that coal supplanting wood fuel reversed deforestation, and that "fertilizer manufactured with gas halved the amount of land needed to produce a given amount of food." The capitalist commerce that Francis disdains is the reason the portion of the planet's population living in "absolute poverty" ($1.25 a day) declined from 53 percent to 17 percent in three decades after 1981. Even in low-income countries, writes economist Indur Goklany, life expectancy increased from between 25 to 30 years in 1900 to 62 years today. Sixty-three percent of fibers are synthetic and derived from fossil fuels; of the rest, 79 percent come from cotton, which requires synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. "Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides derived from fossil fuels," he says, "are responsible for at least 60 percent of today's global food supply." Without fossil fuels, he says, global cropland would have to increase at least 150 percent -- equal to the combined land areas of South America and the European Union -- to meet current food demands.
Francis grew up around the rancid political culture of Peronist populism, the sterile redistributionism that has reduced his Argentina from the world's 14th highest per-capita gross domestic product in 1900 to 63rd today. Francis's agenda for the planet -- "global regulatory norms" -- would globalize Argentina's downward mobility.
As the world spurns his church's teachings about abortion, contraception, divorce, same-sex marriage and other matters, Francis jauntily makes his church congruent with the secular religion of "sustainability." Because this is hostile to growth, it fits Francis's seeming sympathy for medieval stasis, when his church ruled the roost, economic growth was essentially nonexistent and life expectancy was around 30.
He stands against modernity, rationality, science and, ultimately, the spontaneous creativity of open societies in which people and their desires are not problems but precious resources. Americans cannot simultaneously honor him and celebrate their nation's premises.
That's a completely fair criticism. Francis' ideas are steeped in Marxist "liberation theology". You'll notice that Francis levies his harshest criticisms not at the rich, but at the Western middle class. There's a reason for that: Marxism is based on a medieval view of the world; the "noble peasant" horseshit vs. the aristrocacy. In Marxism, this is the natural order of the universe and it cannot change; the only thing that ever changes is who is on top. The existence of a large middle class disproves most of Marx' theories. Therefore, a primary goal of any Marxist is to eliminate the middle class, since its existence fails to conform to their view of how the world works.
Cousin Dave at September 21, 2015 6:59 AM
He is called the communist pope for a reason. As CD points out Francis is a Marxist. There is no denying that. He complains about the slums in Argentina while failing to realize most of what he advocates would spread those slums around the world.
Ben at September 21, 2015 8:45 AM
From a very articulate conservative (if not a politician):
"One tiny birth-control pill, properly used, accomplishes more to preserve our beautiful planet than ten social workers or twenty environmentalists."
His name?
Robert Newton Peck, author of the 1972 novel "A Day No Pigs Would Die."
lenona at September 21, 2015 8:47 AM
Why should any non-Catholic give a fig about what this Pope or any other has to say?
Kevin at September 21, 2015 9:05 AM
To clarify: Peck could just as easily have said the same about helping the poor - especially those who very much WANT easy access to contraception but don't have it. There are more of them than you might think.
To Kevin: Why? Because in any country where Catholics are the majority and follow the word of every pope blindly, they can make life pretty hard for anyone, Catholic or not, who doesn't follow the pope's every word. Not to mention that they can make it difficult for those trying to help people overseas with family planning.
BTW, I found an article a while back: "TV as Birth Control." No, it's not what you might think. (grin)
I found it in the current issue of Utne Reader, but it's originally from Sept. 2013, from Conservation Magazine.
It seems that when more and more people have access to TV and see how other families are managing to live more happily after bucking the pressure to have large families, the viewers want to do the same. (Especially when the TV plots EMPHASIZE how much happier and well-fed one's life can be when you're truly in control of your reproductive life.)
There are a few maps and pie charts, too.
http://conservationmagazine.org/2013/09/tv-as-birth-control/
By Fred Pearce.
lenona at September 21, 2015 9:18 AM
George Will makes an incisive argument about something that matters, with no pompous hyperbole. Are these the End Times?
DaveG at September 21, 2015 9:47 AM
Think about a fundamental: "poverty"
"The lack of resources to choose a course of prosperity" or some such is circular reasoning as well as needlessly complex...
That bottom line is that people living in poverty have no idea how to earn and keep money - which is NOT JUST CASH. Give someone money and they squander it. This is suppressed by everyone who tries to be upbeat or compassionate.
It is not possible to gift true wealth. And don't be fooled by marketing ploys or anecdotes. Shaq is worth millions, but someone else wrote his paycheck. The end of poverty actually means universal participation in trade, and I am sorry to say that there will always be those who are not employable, at any price. The qustion of what to do with these people still stands.
Radwaste at September 21, 2015 10:15 AM
He is called the communist pope for a reason. As CD points out Francis is a Marxist. There is no denying that. He complains about the slums in Argentina while failing to realize most of what he advocates would spread those slums around the world.
Posted by: Ben at September 21, 2015 8:45 AM
I am not sure he is a Marxist as much as he is Peronist, and completely ignorant about economics.
If there was a shrine to the concept of the Ivory Tower Intellectural, Pope Francis would be on it, only one step lower than Obama.
Isab at September 21, 2015 10:27 AM
The Pope, the Pope, the Pope!
Jeez Louise! I am soooo sick of hearing about the Pope; and he isn't even in NYC yet.
The NY TV stations are doing what seems to be non-stop coverage of this visit by his holiness'.
And the traffic and mass transit will be a nightmare when he does arrive.
I can't wait until he has come and then GONE; so that things can get back to normal.
charles at September 21, 2015 11:58 AM
Because the Western Middle Class dares to aspire to a lifestyle higher than a medieval serf.
Like organized religion, Peronism depends upon the rich and the poor, the rich to fund and guide social justice and the poor masses to buy into the ideas being peddled. Peronists, like priests, have little influence over the middle class. Personism is basically populist fascism.
The Catholic Church is still resolving how to deal with the fact that a not-insignificant chunk of its funding comes from groups like the mafia, which professes to have a deep and abiding faith.
Conan the Grammarian at September 21, 2015 12:55 PM
Meanwhile the Bank of the Fatted Calf, conveniently located in Vatican City, continues to manipulate a massive fortune amassed from fleecing the poor.
Lead by example, Your Holiness.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 21, 2015 1:49 PM
He has lead by example Gog. This pope has done a fair amount to reduce the conspicuous consumption of the Vatican and the Catholic church in general. The issue is his willful ignorance of economics and history.
As for him being a Marxist or not, he was quite pleased to get that hammer and sickle crucifix in Bolivia. Western media (especially Catholic media) has tried to white wash that story. But the plain facts are the pope likes the statue and was quite happy to receive it.
Ben at September 21, 2015 2:32 PM
The Pope needs to remember that Gospel communalism was voluntary - backed up with threats of hellfire after death but voluntary - and was inseparable from Gospel celibacy and turn-the-other-cheek non-resistance to violence. But if everybody had adopted communalism, celibacy, and nonresistance, Jesus would have achieved the extinction of the human race in the Occident. Is that what he intended?
Albert Schweitzer said that Gospel communalism and the celibacy that went with it constituted an interim ethic, to be practiced by those expecting the Second Coming – the Parousia – within their lifetimes. It was only bearable on the assumption that it would not have to be borne very long. But as time went on and hopes of an imminent Parousia faded, communalism and celibacy were relegated to monastic orders and later utopian groups like the Shakers.
Furthermore, Gospel communalism was not absolute, no matter what some passages in the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) say. The New Testament admits dependence on the Old Testament, which had wealthy patriarchs like Abraham, Jacob, and Job as exemplars.
For that matter Jesus himself implicitly approves of capitalism, private property, and thrift in his parables. He uses as exemplars the good stewards in the Parable of the Talents, who earn a return on their master's capital. The Prodigal Son had a wealthy property-owning father and got an advance on his inheritance. And the Wise Virgins refused to share their oil with the Foolish, displaying not communalism but intelligent self-interest; the social gospel types would probably call them mean-spirited. Would Jesus really have used unethical exemplars to illustrate ethical principles?
So Jesus was not "the father of socialism", as the "social gospel" types make him out to be. He preached human equality before God, that's all. He could have tried to turn the Roman Empire into a socialist theocracy, but he didn't.
Let the Pope tell his followers all that.
Robert at September 21, 2015 5:49 PM
The Pope needs to remember that Gospel communalism was voluntary
And local, not regional, national, or international
lujlp at September 21, 2015 7:18 PM
"This pope has done a fair amount to reduce the conspicuous consumption of the Vatican and the Catholic church "
That's nice. What does this have to do with his "willful ignorance of economics and history" as you put it, Ben?
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 21, 2015 11:20 PM
I thought it was fairly clear as written. But here we go again.
He has lead by example. What you ask for he is already doing.
The real issue is his Marxist impulses and willfully ignoring how those impulses have worked out every time they've been tried.
And as Robert points out, his ignorance about his own religion is pretty embarrassing too.
Ben at September 22, 2015 6:20 AM
He still supports the notion that BC is a sin and ass raping children aint worthy of jail time.
Who gives a fuck what his economic policies are given his refusal to aid to the prosecution of his child raping priests?
lujlp at September 22, 2015 12:29 PM
He still supports the notion that BC is a sin and ass raping children aint worthy of jail time.
Who gives a fuck what his economic policies are given his refusal to aid to the prosecution of his child raping priests?
Posted by: lujlp at September 22, 2015 12:29 PM
I'm no defender of the pope, and I am not Catholic either.
At best he is a blithering socialist idiot, but I see a lot of projection in these claims.
I don't want the Pope going on a witch hunt for suspected child molestors. It isn't his job. That task belongs to the secular authorities, just like rape on campus or a teacher preying on their underage students.
I have seen about twenty cases of women teachers going to jail for this in the last year or so....
The Church is a supposed to be a source of moral authority. And their position on birth control is slightly more sophisticated than it is a sin. It isn't a mortal sin, and you can still be a good Catholic and use many forms of birth control.
If you find a case where the current Pope has actively protected an accused child molestor, and conspired to help him evade the civil authorities, your claims might have some merit.
But really, it just looks like gratuitous mud slinging to me.
Isab at September 22, 2015 4:59 PM
I don't want the Pope going on a witch hunt for suspected child molestors. It isn't his job. That task belongs to the secular authorities, just like rape on campus or a teacher preying on their underage students.
Agreed
If you find a case where the current Pope has actively protected an accused child molestor, and conspired to help him evade the civil authorities, your claims might have some merit.
He is. The vatican refuses to work with civil police forces in regards to child molestation cases.
The Vatican denied extradition of Josef Wesolowski just last year. And his funeral rated an Arch Bishop and the pope's almoner, what amounts to the Popes vice president near as I can tell
lujlp at September 22, 2015 10:50 PM
The Vatican denied extradition of Josef Wesolowski just last year. And his funeral rated an Arch Bishop and the pope's almoner, what amounts to the Popes vice president near as I can tell
Posted by: lujlp at September 22, 2015 10:50 PM
So they refused to extradite what appears to be a dying man.
Is that your beef? And then game him a funeral consistent with the honor due a person who was only accused, and not convicted of anything.
I see how terrible that was.
They should have burned him at the stake I guess.
Isab at September 23, 2015 9:32 AM
No extradition was requested:
In addition, he was laicized (stripped of his priesthood) and tried by the Vatican courts:
Wesolowski's funeral mass, in the form used for members of the laity (and not the one for priests), was celebrated by the Pope's Almoner. An Almoner is an official in charge of distributing money and alms to the poor. It's not always a religious office - medieval courts had almoners and several masonic lodges today have them.
Conan the Grammarian at September 23, 2015 9:38 AM
He was accuse of child molestation in the Dominican republic, and he wasnt dying last year when the extradition was looked into, or the year prior when they pulled a Polish clergyman from a Caribbean island nation
Also right around the time the Vatican was claiming the Polish molester of Dominican children was a citizen of the Vatican, the Vatican was also claiming that clergy were the citizens of the countries they were born in and not Vatican citizens or church employees
"Priests are not functionaries of the Vatican," Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican's U.N. ambassador in Geneva, said Thursday. "Priests are citizens of their own states, and they fall under the jurisdiction of their own country."
lujlp at September 23, 2015 10:55 AM
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