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2 2.1 Historical and perspective context in which the encyclical was written: Rerum Novarum, 1891
The encyclical ‘rerum novarum’ (‘Of the new things’), the encyclical of Pope Leo XIII. On the situation of the workers ’, it was published on May 15, 1891 in Rome. In the twenty years of the defeat of the commune, when the old revisionism passed to the offensive, Marxism had not yet found a way to conquer power by the force of weapons, and capitalism developed in the so -called 'beautiful epoque' complementing the formation of imperialism.
In that context, we must analyze encyclical, conceiving it as part of the offensive of capitalism on the way to imperialism, revisionism and world reaction, although with own and specific interests, those of the Papacy, those of the Vatican and its sinister theocratic dreams.
The same Vatican media through the EFE agency have disseminated a summary about the context, purpose and content of said encyclical, which helps us to summarize the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist position, Gonzalo thought about it, we cite:
"It ran the nineteenth century and the Italian Pope wanted to reflect on the rights and duties of the workers and employers. He acknowledged that "not only the hiring of work, but also the commercial relations of all kinds, are subject to the power of a few, to the point that an extremely reduced number of opulent and wealthy has imposed little less than the yoke of slavery to an infinite crowd of proletarians."
In his encyclical, divided into 42 points, Leo XIII saw "urgent" think of the way of "providing the good manner of the people of humble condition, since it is a majority that is debated undecorously in a miserable and miserable situation."
We commented, in that "miserable and caulmic situation" the Catholic Church serves ideological, political and organizational to maintain that order of oppression and exploitation. Hippocritically intends to be the great light above all and under the command of anyone, to act more freely based on their global interests putting over the class struggle. And, as we see below, it assumes the defense of the sacrum-toa capitalist private property and cover up the existence of exploitation and exploiters and the submission of the exploited to the divine will.
"Criticized (the encyclical) also that at that time, when socialism was a booming movement -the second international of the workers' parties dates from 1889 -, the socialists tried to end the private property of the goods," estimating better than, instead, all goods are common and administered by the people who govern the municipality or govern the nation. "
The Pope started from the defense of private property as "a given right to man for nature", arguing that "the very reason of the work contributed by those who deal with some lucrative trade and the primary end that the worker seeks is to procure something for himself and possess with his own right a thing like his."
He reflected that man is prior to the Republic and that "he had to have by nature, before any political community was constituted, the right to ensure his life and his body."
We commented, Leo XIII in his encyclical makes his closed defense of private property because it is a natural right of man to enjoy the goods created by God and acquired with the sweat of his forehead, with his work that does not exploit but dignifies and season his defense with the supposed universal destiny of those assets, that is, not to prevent the right of other men to appropriate a part of the creation of God with his own work there based on the divine will. Leo XIII affirmed and argued:
"... natural character of the right to private property ... This right is fundamental in every person for autonomy and development, has always been defended by the Church to the present day. Likewise, the Church teaches that the property of goods is not an absolute right ... while proclaiming strongly the right to private property, the pontiff affirmed with equal clarity that the 'use' of the goods, confident to the freedom itself, is subordinated to: the goods created and also to the will of Jesus Christ. "
There is the heart of the rights of the workers who proclaimed Leo XIII, does cover capitalist basis, surplus value and exploitation relations. With all that talk, he conceals that “capitalist private property” on the means of production and life implies the existence of the vast majority of the private population of means of production and life, which is why they have to submit to salaried slavery. Proclaimed, that exploited and exploiters must undergo the divine will. And, that is why the exploited must submit to the will of the capitalists expressed in the employment contract, to the law and the state of dictatorship of the bourgeoisie, says:
"Duties of workers and employers: fully and faithfully fulfill what on their own and in accordance with justice has been stipulated on work, not damaging capital in any way, not offending the person of the employers, refraining from all violence by defending their rights and not promoting seditions."
"Do not mix with depraved men," he continues, "who encourages immoderate pretensions and promises great things, which carries sterile regrets and the consequent losses of fortune." As well as the obligations of the rich and employers:
"Do not consider workers as slaves, respect them, as is fair, the dignity of the person, especially ennobled by what is called the Christian character."
He also described as "really embarrassing and inhuman" abusing men "like profit things and not estimating them more than their nerves and muscles can give of themselves."
On the other hand, it also emphasized that "the proletarians, without a doubt, are by nature as citizen as the rich, that is, true and living parts that, through the family, integrate the body of the nation, without adding that in every nation they are vast majority."
He defended the free right to associate and the protests of the workers, but proposed that the most effective was anticipated with the authority of the laws ”(International Drafting, May 9 (EFE, PRV-DOC/LAB)
With the hypocrisy that the papacy for thousands of years exercises hides its position in favor of capitalist exploitation and the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie against the dictatorship of the proletariat, against the revolutionary violence of the proletariat.
That is in large lines the inheritance or legacy assumed by León IV, updated to the conditions of the class struggle in the world for the Second Vatican Council and then the encyclical of John Paul II "centesimus annus". That is why we must continue with these two things, briefly, and then see the counterrevolusionary action of the Church in Peru.
2.2 Historical and perspective context in which the Second Vatican Council was carried out