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The liberal environmentalist nobody knew was Catholic
Few realized when Small is Beautiful was published that E.F. Schumachers economic theories were underpinned by solid religious and philosophical foundations, the fruits of a lifetime of searching. In 1971, two years before the books publication, Schumacher had become a Roman Catholic, the final destination of his philosophical journey.
Its all very well to live simply and grow things and practice crafts but what about the hundreds of thousands who cant hope to be self-sufficient in property and craft? This summarizes the complaint by modern critics against Distributismthe economic philosophy inspired by Catholic social teaching and developed, early last century, by Catholic thinkers such as G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc. According to Distributism, property should be spread widely, so that people can earn a living without having to rely on the state (socialism) or a small number of individuals (capitalism). According to the pessimistic view of critics, small-scale economies are fine in principle, but are no longer practical.
Such questions were central to the philosophical grappling of Dr. E.F Schumacher, who came to the conclusion that pessimism was self-fulfillingly prophetic. If one believes the worst one will probably get the worst. Negation begets negation. The antidote to such despair, Dr. E.F. Schumacher believed, was hope. It was in this spirit that he wrote Small is Beautiful in 1973, a book which, for a time at least, made Distributism the most fashionable economic and political creed in the world. Schumachers trained economic mind had resolved many of Distributisms alleged problems so that its principles became applicable even to the hundreds of thousands who cant hope to be self-sufficient in property or craft. Schumacher had succeeded where Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton had failed.
Schumachers Small is Beautiful, subtitled a study of economics as if people mattered, was published in 1973 to immediate acclaim and became an international best-seller. At the time of its publication Schumacher was already well known as an economist, journalist and entrepreneur. He was Economic Adviser to the National Coal Board from 1950 to 1970, and was also the originator of the concept of Intermediate Technology for developing countries. In 1967 he became a trustee of the Scott Bader Commonwealth, a producers co-operative established in 1959 when the companys owner, Ernest Bader, transferred ownership to his workforce. Bader, a Quaker, believed that establishing co-operative ownership was an expression of Christian social principles in practice. To the surprise of many sceptics, the Scott Bader Commonwealth prospered, becoming a pathfinder in polymer technology and a model of good labour relations at a time of considerable labour unrest throughout the rest of industry. Schumacher also served as President of the Soil Association, Britains largest organic farming organization.
http://www.churchpop.com/2014/08/22/the-liberal-environmentalist-nobody-knew-was-catholic/
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The liberal environmentalist nobody knew was Catholic (Original Post)
UrbScotty
Aug 2014
OP
rug
(82,333 posts)1. I didn't know that.
Thanks.
No Vested Interest
(5,156 posts)2. Thanks. This is an example of why I come to DU.
I don't come to debate or argue my opinion.
I come to learn from the wisdom of others.