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Rerum novarum

Rerum novarum
Latin for 'of revolutionary change in the world'
Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII
Coat of arms of Pope Leo XIII
Signature date 15 May 1891
SubjectOn capital and labor
Number38 of 88 of the pontificate
Text
← In ipso
 
Pope Leo XIII

Rerum novarum (from its incipit, with the direct translation of the Latin meaning "of revolutionary change"[n 1]), or Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor, is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on 15 May 1891. It is an open letter, passed to all Catholic patriarchs, primates, archbishops and bishops, that addressed the condition of the working classes.

It discusses the relationships and mutual duties between labor and capital, as well as government and its citizens. Of primary concern is the need for some amelioration of "the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class".[5] It supports the rights of labor to form unions, rejects both atheistic socialism and unrestricted capitalism, while affirming the right to private property.

Rerum Novarum is considered a foundational text of modern Catholic social teaching.[6] Many of the positions in Rerum novarum are supplemented by later encyclicals, in particular Pius XI's Quadragesimo anno (1931), John XXIII's Mater et magistra (1961) and John Paul II's Centesimus annus (1991), each of which commemorates an anniversary of the publication of Rerum novarum.

  1. ^ "Rerum novarum". The Tablet. 77 (2663): 5. 23 May 1891. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. ^ Rerum novarum, p. 1
  3. ^ a b c Molony, John (2006). "10: Christian social thought; A: Catholic social teaching". In Gilley, Sheridan; Stanley, Brian (eds.). World Christianities c. 1815–c. 1914. Cambridge History of Christianity. Vol. 8. Cambridge University Press. pp. 148–149. ISBN 978-0-521-81456-0. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879). "novus". A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press. But, in gen., novae res signifies political innovations, a revolution
  5. ^ Rerum novarum, §3
  6. ^ "'Rerum Novarum' (The Condition of Labor), Berkley Center, Georgetown University". Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2015-03-03.


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