It has been only six months since the fall of the Berlin Wall, when the Pope in Mexico, in a speech to entrepreneurs, commented on the changes that had taken place in Central and Eastern Europe. He said that the collapse of real socialism does not mean the victory of the capitalist system. The world still has poverty and huge disparities in the distribution of natural resources. This is due to liberalism devoid of certain rules, not taking into account the common good, especially in third world countries.
In the face of a not yet fully stable situation, it was a courageous analysis, but leaving no doubt. And yet, in the West, some commentators considered the Pope’s speech “scandalous.” There were even attempts to attribute to John Paul II a ”nostalgia” for communism.
They didn’t understand or didn’t want to understand his message. The Holy Father saw history in a theological-moral perspective, not a political or economic one. Therefore, from his own observation, he was able to conclude that after the fall of Marxism, it was not possible to establish a new social order solely on the basis of a system that treats man objectively, limiting him to the role of a mode of production machine.
The basic task was to restore the subjectivity of the working man. Only then can we reflect on the direction of economic development based on solidarity and mutual commitment. As long as workers do not participate in decisions and in the share of the company’s profits, it is not possible to achieve true social peace or real development of the country.
It is true; however, that while during the first ten years of his pontificate John Paul II was considered an avowed anti-communist, now he was presented as an opponent of capitalism, and even a sympathizer of communism. This could explain the reasons why his social teaching has been demagogically and erroneously interpreted for so long, and more generally his humanism.
With the consent of Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz – “Testimony”.
TBA marketing communication Publishing House. Warsaw 2007
