, II-C

Reflection Paper on Rerum Novarum

Rerum Novarum, was released by Pope Leo XIII at the end of the 19 th century.

Lauded as a groundbreaking social encyclical, it was a response to the heavy

exploitation of workers in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. This period brought

about the concentration of production in factories owned by the investors of capital, and

away from the farms and the traditional processes of production in cottage industries.

The management of labor, production lines and machineries were then placed in the

hands of the owners of factories and businesses, creating unequal power relationships

and uneven distribution of profits between capital and labor. The disparity in power held

by capital and labor led to inhumane working conditions of the laborers, who were paid

a pittance for doing excessive work hours, often in hazardous working environments.

In response to this, Leo XIII criticized the influence of capitalism, which heavily

favored the side of capital over labor, and affirmed the fundamental rights of the working

class. These rights included, but are not limited to, the rights to association, to a fair

wage, and to reasonable working conditions.

Even though it was not explicitly discussed, the encyclical’s underlying motivation

was the concept of human dignity, particularly the dignity of workers, and in extension,

the dignity of labor, which was defined by Leo XIII as “to exert oneself for the sake of

procuring what is necessary for the various purposes of life, and chief of all for self

preservation.” Indeed, one of the fundamental duties of the employer as listed in Rerum
Novarum was to “respect [the workers’] dignity as human beings; not to misuse men as

though they were things in the pursuit of gain, or to value them solely for the worth of

their physical powers.” Simply put, the workforce is comprised of human beings and not

of automatons who never tire and hunger. People work not only to express themselves

but also to contribute to and become productive members of the society. Furthermore,

work has a social aspect through its relation to the common good, since “it may truly be

said that it is only by the labor of working-men that States grow rich.” This was touched

upon by Leo XIII, stating that “...according to natural reason and Christian philosophy,

working for gain is creditable, not shameful, to a man, since it enables him to earn an

honorable livelihood.” Thus, working for a living is an honorable thing, and the workers

must therefore not be treated as indentured servants or merely as a factor in production,

but as individuals with various needs, families, desires and dreams.

Recognizing the imbalance between the power held by labor and capital, Leo XIII

outlined the role of the State in balancing the interests of the two, with preferential

option for the poor who are, more often than not, part of the working class. The state

must not only consider the interests of capital. After all, “justice, therefore, demands that

the interests of the working classes should be carefully watched over by the

administration, so that they who contribute so largely to the advantage of the community

may themselves share in the benefits which they create – that being housed, clothed,

and bodily fit, they may find their life less hard and more endurable.” This is similar to

Article II, Section 18 of the 1987 Constitution, which affirms the role of “labor as a

primary social economic force” and thus, the State “shall protect the rights of the

workers and promote their welfare.” Likewise, it cannot always lean in favor of labor to
the prejudice of capital. After all, “each needs the other: capital cannot do without labor,

nor labor without capital.” Leo XIII’s prescription to assign the state to balance the

interests of both capital and labor is one of the foundations for today’s labor laws. His

idea for this is reflected in Article XIII, Section 3 (3) and (4) of our 1987 Constitution,

which mandates the State to regulate the relations of labor and capital, balancing the

rights of the workers to a just share in the fruits of production, and the right of the

employer to a reasonable return on its investment.

What is astounding in Rerum Novarum was that it’s ideas are thought-provoking

and radical in a time when industries race to produce more products and technologies

at the expense of labor, striking at the foundations of the modern capitalist system. And

even after more than 125 years, these passages are still relevant today, because Leo

XIII is simply repeating an elementary principle of sound political organization. That is,

the more that individuals are defenseless within a given society, the more they require

the care and concern of others, especially the intervention of governmental authority.