Rerum Novarum and Our Modern AI Moment - Part Three

Part One: Paragraphs 1-11, Sections 1 and 2; Introduction and Contra Socialism

Part Two: Paragraphs 12-31, Sections 3 and 4; Society and Socialism and The Role of the Church

Reminder: This is my untrained analysis of Pope Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum. This document can be found here. I will refer to His Holiness as Leo for simplicity and all quotes are drawn from the current paragraph summarized, in less otherwise noted. I will aim to divide up the paragraphs of Rerum Novarum - this is my division not a formal one - based on the topics Pope Leo addresses. Today I'll continue through a section on

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Section 5: Paragraphs 32-47, The Proper Role of the State

Paragraph 32: Pope Leo XIII starts his discussion of the proper role of government with its purpose. He states it as "to realize public well-being and private prosperity." A big part of this approach is to ensure fairness - benefiting all classes and serving the common good.

P33: This equality is rooted in the idea of citizenship. With this idea of citizenship, the duties that follow start with that of "strict justice - what that justice which is called distributive [emphasis original] - toward each and every class alike."

P34: Despite the call to contribute to the common good, Leo reminds us that not all are equal. Leo recognizes that the members of government form part of society. Likewise, the majority of people will fall into the working classes. There is an interplay between these two as the administration should work for the working class and receive favor. Leo obliquely refers to fears of popularism here.

P35: The administrators are called to guard the community, while respecting individuals and families.

P36: When the public good is threatened, the authority must rise to deal with it. Examples Leo brings up include work strikes, injustice, overwork, and more. However, the government should step in to remedy only to "the remedy of the evil or the removal of the mischief."

P37: Rights are important and should be respected. The government has a special call to defend the rights of the poor for they lack the recourses of the rich.

P38: These rights should be defended with the observation of private property and the recognition that some agitators do so out of greed or malice.

P39: The government can and should help to resolve strikes and support justice between employers and employed.

P40: Leo reminds us that man serves a higher purpose and is imbued with a soul.

P41: Because of his soul, man has a right to rest and worship. Rest does not mean play but an actual rest. The state rightly should respect this right.

P42: The state is called to also secure men from "excessive labor as to stupefy their minds and wear out their bodies." This includes limitations on hours, mandatory rest, seasonal guidance, child labor laws, and suitable support for women.

P43: Leo then turns to the idea of wages as an agreement between worker and employer. He presents the idea that authority should intervene to ensure wages agreed upon or paid or that the worker performs the labor agree upon - essentially upholding the contract.

P44: This definition of wages is limited and misses two key aspects. Labor is personal - it belongs to the one doing the work and is a gift from God. Second, it is necessary. Therefore, "each one has a natural right to procure what is required in order to live, and the poor can procure that in no other way than by what they can earn through their work."

P45: Therefore, wages should be supportive of the wage-earner and fair. Conditions likewise should be fair. The state can be used to assist the worker in these circumstances.

P46: Be promoting just wages, man can save up and better his position. As such, the law should favor ownership and economic growth.

P47: This will enable equitably division of property, the earth will be better used, and immigration will be unnecessary. Leo also warns of excessive taxation as a threat to the proper and just collection of wages.

Section 6: Paragraphs 48-59, Associations & Unions

P48: It is good to form societies and foundations which draw people together, especially for the benefit of others.

P49: One of these associations is the unions which do this and more. These are built upon guilds and are a great good when done properly.

P50: Unions are rooted in the call to community and mutual aid. They are a smaller society which help support greater society.

P51: These private societies differ from public in their aim but should be illegal. Therefore there is a right to association.

P52: An obvious exemption to this when they join together for activities "evidently bad, unlawful, or dangerous to the State."

P53: Leo calls to mind the history of Church associations and decries their persecution.

P54: Turning back to unions and other associations, Leo points out that some are anti-Christian. As such, Christians are called to create their own associations over joining these.

P55: Leo recognizes those faithful who have helped the workers out of charity, helped form associations, or donated to these causes in time or treasure. These activities give hope to the state of the world and the State should "watch over these societies" but not become directly involved in them.

P56: These associations should govern themselves based on their mission.

P57: Associations should acknowledge and support the spiritual aspect of man first.

P58: Within the associations, members should be honest, fair, and collaborative. The association should consider the rights of the owners, settle disputes fairly between the owners and workers, and create insurance funds for its members and their families.

P59: God is calling us to do this now built upon lessons from the past so that men can support each other.

Discussion

Here, Pope Leo XIII presents a third way - not reliance on the government for protection of the workers, nor on blind trust in capital to protect workers - but the formal association of workers to advocate together and in solidarity for their rights. By looking towards associations, properly governed and guided by religious considerations, Leo presents a practical solution, especially in the industrializing 19th century.

As the 21st century moves from industrializing to the creation of a service economy and now one managed by artificial intelligence - associationism remains an option even if unionization has declined or been corrupted. Could workers band together to fight not only for their rights, fair wages, and proper treatment, but to protest the intrusion of AI-monitoring, AI-takeover of jobs and creation, and the creation of a society where trust in media, writing, and content has been lost?

It is certainly a valuable call and one that would respond to the general uneasiness we feel around this technology and the way our tech overlords are hurtling forward without proper consideration for society, culture, or the economy.