Catholic Social Thought and Distributive Justice

Catholic Social Thought (CST) and Distributive Justice

• Three Classical Forms of Justice: Commutative, Distributive, and Social Justice are foundational to Catholic Social Thought.
• Economic Justice for All: U.S. bishops' 1986 pastoral letter emphasizes the duty to meet the basic needs of the poor and promote economic participation.
• Distributive Justice Defined: Involves evaluating the allocation of income, wealth, and power based on effects on individuals whose fundamental needs remain unmet.
• Economic Inequality Awareness: Rising economic inequality issues prompted by movements like Occupy demonstrate the importance of revisiting distributive justice concepts.
• Political Authority's Role: Governments have the obligation to regulate private ownership rights in alignment with the common good.
• Common Good Principle: Distributive justice is essential for achieving societal harmony and protecting the most disadvantaged individuals.
• Equity in Distribution: Economic well-being is assessed not just by production quantity but also regarding production methods and income distribution fairness.
• Universal Destination of Goods: Concept emphasizes that resources created by God should benefit all humanity.
• Private Property Rights: While significant, they must be viewed within the context of stewardship and communal responsibility.
• Role of Government: Governments should design policies such as progressive taxation, minimum wage laws, and social services to help reduce income inequality.