Mixing Religion and Global Politics

Christine Allen, Director of the Catholic Institute of International Relations, asks what room Christian teachings and the Church provide for a progressive response to globalisation

Globalisation is the defining word of the era. It is a concept that is complex, multidimensional and heavily contested. For some it is the answer to poverty, for others, it is the very process that traps people in poverty.

There is no doubt that globalisation creates huge amounts of wealth. But who benefits from it? The challenge of globalisation to all of us – and to faith communities in particular, is the level of inequality that exists. There are still more than a billion people on the planet living on less than a dollar a day. That stark fact, by anyone's standards, is unacceptable. It is clear, and interesting, that there is no real disagreement that poverty is unacceptable. Those who hold different views about globalisation differ about the causes and the solutions, not that poverty is unacceptable.

To reaffirm the context, then, globalisation is characterised by an increasing pace of interconnectedness between individuals, groups, companies and countries. The overriding forces that are the drivers of the globalisation that marks our world are:
• the liberalisation of trade, opening up markets to different countries;
• the deregulation of financial markets and capital flow;
• the liberalisation of investment and corporate activities;
• rapid technological change and the development of ever-faster communications.

Within this context of liberalisation and deregulation, the survival of the fittest is the guiding principle. Those who are weaker will not benefit as much from the system as those who are stronger. And it is this inherent individualism which strikes most strongly against the sounding board of the faith communities. Central to all the world's great religions is a strong belief that we are all responsible for our neighbours. Within this, I want to look at Catholic social teaching in particular. It provides a clear set of guidelines and principles about how we might respond to the social, political and economic issues of our world.

The Common Good
Fundamental to Catholic social teaching is the concept of the "common good"1. Not something exclusively catholic, but a concept vital to the life of the church. It is an explicitly political concept. It refers to all conditions of social living – economic, political, cultural – that make it possible for people to fully achieve humanity. More than a Utilitarian analysis, it is a concept that requires all groups "to take into account the needs and aspirations of every other group and the whole human family"2. The social order should yield to the good of the person not vice versa. The common good is applicable to both the national and international levels and is a complex balance between physical elements (such as income, food, shelter) and attitudes (such as human rights, respect and human dignity)3.

"Liberalisation" of trade has resulted in an effective monopolisation of trade by powerful corporations and trade blocs. This works against the common good, even if there are substantial benefits to be made for some. Within this sort of trade arrangement, the primary producers such as small scale farmers lose out. More likely to be poorer, with less power, the rules of the global trade game are stacked against them.

Economic Justice
Economic justice has a fundamental place in catholic social teaching at both the local and the international levels. Whether regarding the rights of workers, the importance of labour over capital, its role in peace or the principles for international development, there is a raft of teaching linking the common good to economic justice. In 1931, Pope Pius XI wrote "free competition ...cannot be the guiding principle of economic life."4

Like the international trade question, the deregulation of financial markets and capital flows are flawed when they are contrary to the common good. This is the nub of the teaching – there is no argument against investment or trade. But rather that this activity must be for the common good and be based on economic and structural justice.

Massive amounts of money flow around the world every second. It is numbers on a screen. But in practice, those numbers represent factories opening and closing, jobs gained, jobs lost and enormous insecurity. This insecurity and the ease of labour movements are the hallmarks of a globalised system. Bringing jobs and income to countries or areas is beneficial, yet the system clearly contradicts the idea of economic justice and the common good if workers are exploited or individuals lack basic rights.

Churches cannot regulate financial markets, but there is a growing network of Christian people who are reflecting and campaigning on such issues. The Christian Council for Monetary Justice looks at the issue locally as well as internationally and draws on the body of church teaching around this area5. CIIR is undertaking research into the effects of the Poverty Reduction Strategy processes in Asia and working in Central America with partners on this issue.

The Dignity Of The Human Person
Catholic social teaching is based on the essential humanity of people, as a result of being created by God. In 1987, Pope John Paul II wrote, "Development which genuinely tries to meet the needs of all – man or woman, child, adult or old person – implies respect for the value of each human person and the rights of all." 6 Political and economic structures are flawed when this human dignity is eroded. There are two particular areas where this is more explicit. One is a concept called the preferential option for the poor – this is where the church, in following the tradition of the Old Testament prophets and the Gospel message of Jesus, has a particular concern for how the poorest and most vulnerable are treated by society.

The other area is with regard to the rights of workers. Since Pope Leo XIII wrote in 1931, the church's social teaching has had a strong concern for the rights of workers, recognising their need for just remuneration, conditions and rights. Globalisation has brought an expansion of companies working beyond one country. In 1970 there were 7,000 companies operating in more than one country, today it is 60,0007. More companies should mean more opportunities for work and wealth. From our work with partners who are investigating into and seeking to improve the conditions in these factories, especially in Central America, we know that the reality is often that the rights of workers are few and the conditions often poor.

Religion and Politics?
There are those who say that the church should not get involved in politics, and especially not economics! Yet it is clear that church teaching has much to say on those aspects of globalisation that are against the common good. This is a rich and valuable source of teaching, which, although targeted towards Christians, can help all of us to reflect on, to analyse and understand the world better and to act accordingly. It is inherently political.

It is interesting that this teaching is called the Church's best kept secret – largely because it is! The Catholic church, like all institutions, has its own self-interest. There has also been a series of challenges to that self-interest during the history of the Catholic church. One of those challenges was the second Vatican Council in 1965. It was a powerful rethink of the church's role in the world. The view was that the church saw itself no longer as an ivory tower, but as a body of people, a community looking outwards. There was a recognition that the church had to work with all those of goodwill, who shared that commitment to the common good. That meant trade unions, community and other groups.

In many parts of the world, especially Latin America, South Africa and Asia, that led individuals and often the institution to give very real support for people in base communities and groups fighting oppressive regimes or seeking to rectify social injustice. They are, many of them, the church's modern martyrs. Perhaps the most famous one is Archbishop Oscar Romero, but there are many more, then and since, who have paid a price for supporting the people in their struggle. They were without doubt, taking political stances, but undertaking their action from a profound sense of justice which is consistent with church teaching and the Christian tradition.

The Catholic church does live with the dualism of being a community of people and an institution. But as an institution it has a voice and has power. It must therefore use that voice and power in support of campaigns and activity for economic justice. This requires as a first step, ensuring that its own radical teaching is actively promoted and taught, and voiced by the institution in as uncompromising a way as it finds on abortion and contraception. The fact that so many people think the Catholic church only has anything to say on issues related to sex and procreation does a grave injustice to the church, her rich teaching and Gospel values.

The Role And Opportunity For The Churches?

So where does this leave the Catholic church, and faith communities in general with regard to globalisation?

The churches do not have all the answers, and like most other people, are struggling with the issue. But, there are activities and campaigns well underway.

Huge numbers of Church people supported campaigns and activities to make the international economic structure more just. The Jubilee 2000 campaign was just one example and work on debt and trade is being continued by church related agencies.

There is a large national network of groups in churches under the banner of Justice & Peace working across a range of issues. Offering training, support, opportunities for reflection as well as practical action, these local groups are seeking to put the social teaching into practice.

Churches and faith communities have also had an important role to play in the development of the fair trade movement. Organisations like Traidcraft (www.traidcraft.co.uk) have a strong background and heritage in Christian concern, and are now offering practical trading support that communities need to survive in our globalised economy.

Along with a range of other groups and churches, CIIR has been involved in organising Just Share (www.justshare.org.uk). This is a programme leading up to May Day including a rally, lectures and other opportunities for people to get involved. Its objectives are reform of the WTO, debt cancellation, ethical investment, control of capital and stressing the need to act with stewardship for the earth. It is not the churches striking out on our own, it is simply witness for Christians (and others) who might not feel comfortable throwing stones or pushing in windows. There are now moves to develop Just Share into an alliance with similar movements in the US.

CIIR (www.ciir.org)itself is an independent organisation, which is strongly influenced by that radical view of the church following the second Vatican Council. As an organisation seeking development and tackling poverty, we work with a wide range of partners and with people of all faiths and none. To many of our stakeholders we are an example of the church fulfilling its social mission, to others we are just a damn good development agency.

All these actions and elements are totally in line with Catholic social teaching around economic justice, global solidarity and the option for the poor. They are also practical examples of how church people are acting with people of goodwill – whether NGOs, trade unions or community groups – in solidarity with those who are poor and oppressed.

There are many more, and this is at the heart of it. Go under the surface and there are lots of church people involved in solidarity work, "anti-globalisation" activities, or in building alternatives. There has been a tremendous mobilisation of church people in the face of globalisation. But they are not necessarily shouting about it as a "church" activity. This is a dilemma, because this is a vital role for the church – to be a voice for the voiceless, and to enable and support, not to overpower. But it isn't enough. It is vital for the church as an institution to find its voice on globalisation. There is a clear tradition and teaching to draw on to inform that voice. Although there is support for organisations and campaigns, this institutional voice has yet to be heard loudly and clearly.

Finally, there is a challenge that the critique of globalisation and the call to conversion isn't just done by individual churches, but by churches together. Setting differences aside to speak will in itself be a task. Perhaps Just Share and the other campaigns mentioned above – as a coalition and gathering of different churches and organisations – might provide that platform?

1 Mater et Magistra, Pope John XXIII, 1961, (Christianity and Social Progress).
2 Gaudium et Spes, Second Vatican Council (1965)
3 Populorum Progressio, Pope Paul VI, 1967 (The Development of Peoples) and Gaudium et Spes (1965). 4 Laborem Exercens, John Paul II 1981, wrote about the dignity of work and the rights of workers; Populorum Progressio, Paul VI 1967 referred to economic justice as the basis of peace. In Quadragesimo Anno (1931), Pius XI wrote that "the guiding principles for our lives and work must be justice and above all, love."
5 In Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, John Paul II 1987, there is a call to conversion of the affluent world, to overcome the obstacles that hinder development, which he calls "structures of sin" of which one is the all- consuming desire for profit.
6 Ibid
7 Christian Aid campaign news.

Placed on Fabian Global Forum, May 2002.