Distributism: A Synopsis

I talked about why capitalism (and socialism) is bad, so what is the solution? It is a little-know idea, encouraged by many Popes as Catholic social justice and promoted by Hillaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton, called Distributism. Pope Leo XIII first expressed the idea in his encyclical Rerum Novarum. What he articulated was the connection between property and justice for the poor.

In Distributism, every family is a property owner. As Chesterton says, “three acres and a cow” is all a family needs. When families are self-sustaining or small business owners, they do not rely on the “Big Shops” for cheap prices and even cheaper labor. They can grow their own food, make their own clothes, and they do not worry about capital and wages.

As small business owners, they set reasonable prices on their goods instead of gouging the consumer in order to make a profit, and manufacture quality goods when the emphasis is taken off mass production.

What about goods and services that individuals cannot offer, such as automobiles? Then families assemble guilds where each person is self-employed and owns their own tools and machinery. As entrepreneurs, they are free to make their own decisions instead of being slave to the capitalist.

However, governments cannot force distributism on society. A change to the system must come from within the family. It is more like a change of heart, not a change of law. The good news is that you can start living like a distributist today. Here is a Twelve-Step Program to get you on your way.