ReEd-4 Chapter 1 Notes PDF

Chapter 1 The Experience of Social Injustice Introduction This chapter introduces students to the contemporary socio-economic and political context and experience from which Catholic social thought both draws from, as well as responds to. When responding to and interacting with the world, Catholic...

Chapter 1 The Experience of Social Injustice Introduction This chapter introduces students to the contemporary socio-economic and political context and experience from which Catholic social thought both draws from, as well as responds to. When responding to and interacting with the world, Catholic social thought does not simply stay in its “ivory tower;” rather, it emphasizes that, in order to do God’s work and work towards justice, there is a need to be immersed in and understand the contemporary situation of the world through the natural and social sciences, as well as business and economics, the humanities, and applied sciences. Learning Objectives 1. Describe the contemporary social, economic, and political situation, both in the Philippines and worldwide. 2. Analyze the interconnected relationships of various aspects and institutions that make up this complex reality 3. Assess and critique institutions and social forces as part of social justice or injustice Exposition The Contemporary International and Local Context: Lights and Shadows In the age of social media and real-time connectivity, society is constantly bombarded with news about our community, our country, and the world. Various media platforms on the internet allow us to immediately learn about breaking news, as well as comment on them. While there is good news that is celebrated in media, such as a growing economy, there is also an awareness of corruption and injustice in the government, in business, and in civil society. On the one hand, the Philippines has settled much foreign debt, and has been growing economically. Credit rating agencies have kept the country’s investment grade status, citing its strong economic growth and growing confidence from investors to continue investing in the country.1 The World Bank cites that the economic growth in the country has also shown signs of becoming more inclusive, with 1.4 million net jobs created, and with poverty incidence dropping 1 Reuters Staff, “Fitch Lifts Philippines’ Sovereign Ratings,” Reuters, December 11, 2017, https://www.reuters.com/article/philippines-ratings-fitch/update-1-fitch-upgrades-philippines-sovereign-rating-on- strong-economic-performance-idUSL3N1OB063. from 25.2% in 2012 to 21.6% in 2015.2 With the launch of AmBisyon Natin 2040 and the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 that propose a long term economic vision as well as a development, infrastructure, and strategic plan to attain this vision, the future of the country seems to be on the upswing, with the outgoing country director of Asian Development Bank even praising the development plans as a model that other countries look up to. 3 These are just some of the improvements that have marked the last few years in the Philippines. This improvement in the country is connected to growth also in other countries. In 2017, overall global economic growth was positive, led by India and China. Stories of improving economies and the growing awareness for gender and racial equality both locally and abroad have brought to the fore questions of how race, culture, and gender impact access to social services and economic opportunities. In signing the Paris Agreement in 2016, countries have committed to mitigate climate change in their own ways—a big step toward helping care for the environment in the face rapid environmental degradation and global warming. On the other hand, the benefits of these developments in the country and worldwide have not necessarily been felt by nor received by all people. In recent years, local situations such as the laglag-bala scam in airports, the slow and often hindered redistribution of land for farmers and peace talks with the New People’s Army (NPA) and various groups seeking autonomy in Mindanao, and the issue of poverty have been common topics in Philippine news. Accusations of corruption, greed, and apathy from those in power have plagued the country. Filipinos have become divided over the socio-economic and political situation of the country, with the election of President Rodrigo Duterte and his manner of governance. While there has been some reform in healthcare and education, the Philippines still lags behind in terms of healthcare indicators, such as maternal mortality rate and malnutrition, as well as inadequate facilities for schools and training for teachers.4 Both locally and abroad, there has been a resurgence of nationalism, with the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the clamor of “America First” in the United States, and the rise of authoritarian governments and policies. The crises in Syria and Africa that has led to many undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers fleeing to other countries has not improved, with not much being done for their plight. It is this social reality that has encouraged people from all walks of life to either protest on the street, lobby and enter into politics, or work for reform through non-government organizations (NGOs). There is what is called a “negative contrast experience,” wherein an encounter or experience of reality has revealed to people the way things ought to be, by the way that they are not; if a person emphasizes that poverty, corruption, and sexism, for example, should not be allowed, such a statement can only be said when experienced in contrast with the 2 World Bank, “Philippines Economic Update-April 2017,” Text/HTML, World Bank, May 4, 2017, http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/05/04/philippines-economic-update-april-2017. 3 “ADB Says Countries Look up to PH’s AmBisyon Natin 2040,” Ambisyon Natin 2014 by the National Economic and Development Authority, March 20, 2018, http://2040.neda.gov.ph/2018/03/20/adb-says-countries-look-up-to- phs-ambisyon-natin-2040/. 4 The Oxford Business Group provides in depth reports on education and healthcare in various countries. For the Philippines, please see Oxford Business Group, “The Report: The Philippines 2017” (Oxford Business Group, 2017), https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/philippines-2017. good, which would be gender equality, living wages and decent quality of life, and transparency and accountability. The experience of a lack of justice has spurred people to work for a system that ought to be more just. “Experience has a productive force, not only in terms of providing knowledge, but by compelling us to speak out and take action…and because experience, which we can pass on, challenges our establishes ways of thinking and acting, it is not innocent.”5 A Faith That is Both Personal and Social For the Catholic Church, this present reality requires a response that is rooted in the Catholic faith commitment. Such a faith commitment acknowledges that what others might see as only secular, with no room for religion, is not divorced from faith and religion. Faith is not simply private nor solely concerned about getting to heaven when one dies; the Catholic faith commitment entails working for justice for one’s neighbor, and not just offering thoughts and prayers for those in need. This particular aspect of the Catholic faith will be explained further in the coming chapters. In order to respond to this reality, however, there is a need to understand its complexity, its interconnectedness, its various aspects, historical roots and development, and its pervasiveness. These unjust situations were not created overnight. Rather, they were built over time through the different institutions, decisions, and organizations that made particular decisions and whose decisions and actions fed into a particular way of doing things. If the Catholic Church wishes to respond adequately to the current situation, it needs to collaborate with other disciplines and organizations in order to have a more complete understanding of how the current situation operates, and how people interact with, are affected by, and contribute to this situation. Analyzing the Contemporary Context The Social Aspect: The Filipino Culture, Civil Society, and Social Institutions Filipino Cultural Traits In 1987, a study was commissioned to articulate the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino character in order to understand how to further develop Filipino society. The document described in detail the various strengths and weaknesses of the country,