Although the term itself remains largely undefined, calling Democrats "socialists" has suddenly become a common invective hurled by Republicans. For their part, many Democrats have welcomed the accusation, recognizing that it serves as a compliment in the current political environment. Because this much is sure: socialism is gaining in popularity in America. And from a Catholic perspective, it's time we start asking why.
In Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII sought to answer the question about why socialism was gaining traction in late 19th-century Europe. What in the world would drive man to reject — whether in totality or in large measure — private property and man's right to it?
Leo posited that a chief attraction of socialism was the sin of envy. Though some people are motivated by the notion that a socialist structure will somehow provide them more, some are also driven by the promise that, under socialism, the currently-wealthy would have less. To that end, Leo observes that socialists advance their cause by "working on the poor man's envy of the rich." Apparently, there was no shortage of activists and politicians stoking envy in others for their own gain. (Turns out, modern-day progressives in America weren't the first to use the tactic; rather, it has been used in some form for much of recorded history.)
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