On the Economic Significance of the Catholic Social Doctrine

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-vi

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2. Introduction

   • Ursula Backhaus, Günther Chaloupek, Hans A. Frambach

   Pages 1-9

3. An Economist’s View of the Work of Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler and Its Influence on the Encyclical Rerum novarum

   • Daniel Eissrich

   Pages 11-25

4. Solidarism as the Center of Economy—The Economics of Heinrich Pesch

   • Hans A. Frambach

   Pages 27-45

5. Public Economy (“Gemeinwirtschaft”) as a Concept of Social Development Policy—Examples of German Authors of the Late 19th Century

   • Karl-Heinz Schmidt

   Pages 47-57

6. Lord Acton and Rerum novarum

   • Frits L. van Holthoon

   Pages 59-67

7. The False Pretensions of the Catholic Social Doctrine—The Critique of the Catholic Austrian Sociologist August M. Knoll (1900–1963)

   • Günther Chaloupek

   Pages 69-79

8. 125 Years Rerum novarum—The Theological Perspective

   • Peter Schallenberg

   Pages 81-88

9. Dr. Johannes Antonius Veraart: A Catholic Economist on Rerum Novarum

   • Robert W. J. Jansen

   Pages 89-105

10. The Roman Connection: From Rerum Novarum to Corporatism in the Netherlands

    • Andries Nentjes

    Pages 107-124

11. The Justice and the Economics of Rerum novarum on Land

    • Nicolaus Tideman

    Pages 125-134

12. Rerum novarum and Its Principle on the Just Taxation of Immovable Properties

    • Francesco Forte, Flavio Felice, Elton Beqiraj

    Pages 135-166

13. Practical Wisdom for Social Innovation. How Christian Entrepreneurs Triggered the Emergence of the Catholic Social Tradition in Europe

    • André Habisch

    Pages 167-190

This book discusses the history and socioeconomic impact of Rerum novarum, the first Catholic social encyclical. Drawn from research presented at the 2016  Heilbronn Symposia on Economics and the Social Sciences, this book resumes the discussion on the origin, dissemination and impact of the Catholic social doctrine which originated in this epoch-making encyclical, arguing that the fundamental concepts of this doctrine have had long-standing influence on the development of the modern social state and social market economy. Beginning with an introductory background on the Rerum novarum, the book moves through chapters focused on the implementation and application of the doctrine throughout its history and the impact it has had on global economics. The book starts with the contributions of precursors and pioneers of the doctrine such as Bishop Wilhelm von Ketteler , proceeds to the reception of Rerum novarum after its implementation, and presents examples ofits application. It then moves to the central question of Rerum novarum on the role of land, the taxation of immovable property, and more generally, justice. The book concludes with comments on the wider significance of Rerum novarum and Catholic social doctrine from a sociological and theological perspective. This book will be useful for academic researchers interested in theoretical economic history, political science and history, economic thought, as well as contemporary global and social issues from the perspective of the Christian faith. 

• rerum novarum
• social economy
• Catholicism
• social doctrine
• globalization
• theology

• Krupp Chair in Public Finance and Fiscal Sociology, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany

  JÜRGEN BACKHAUS

• Chamber of Labour, AK Wien, Vienna, Austria

  GÜNTHER CHALOUPEK

• Microeconomics and the History of Economic Thought Schumpeter School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany

  HANS A. FRAMBACH

Jürgen G. Backhaus (*1950), JSD 1976, PhD (Econ) 1985, Professor of Public Finance and Fiscal Sociology at Erfurt University 2000-2015. Between 1986 and 2000, he has held the chair in Public Economics at Maastricht University. In 2006 he received the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Knight’s Cross), in September 2004 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Thessaly (Greece). In 1994 he founded (with Frank H. Stephen) the European Journal of Law and Economics. He has published 60 books and monographs, about 200 articles in refereed journals and book chapters, 28 scholarly notes and 63 reviews. His research interests span economics, but also neighboring disciplines such as law, fiscal sociology and environmental sciences.

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