In yet another example of Pope Francis being awesome and talking about the excesses of capitalism, the Catholic leader said on Friday that governments should redistribute wealth to the poor and fight back against the “economy of exclusion” taking hold across the world with a new spirit of generosity. Pope Francis has been much more outspoken than many previous popes about doing more to help the poor in the face of a global economy.
The pope asked the United Nations to promote a mobilization of solidarity with the poor and called for more equal economic growth that can be created through “the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits by the state, as well as indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society.” The new words are consistent with his prior statements that he wants a church that “is poor and for the poor.” He said the United Nations should attack the root causes of poverty and hunger, protect the environment and promote dignified labor for everyone. “Specifically, this involves challenging all forms of injustices and resisting the economy of exclusion, the throwaway culture and the culture of death, which nowadays sadly risk becoming passively accepted.”
This article was originally printed on AFL-CIO on May 9, 2014. Reprinted with permission.
About the Author: Kenneth Quinnell is a long-time blogger, campaign staffer and political activist whose writings have appeared on AFL-CIO, Daily Kos, Alternet, the Guardian Online, Media Matters for America, Think Progress, Campaign for America’s Future and elsewhere.
