01 - Charity in Truth - Caritas in Veritate

Fixing the Economy by Focusing on Ethics

Encyclical calls for a new business order governed by ethics and the common good

. In the encyclical letter entitled Charity in Truth (Caritatis in Veritate) Pope Benedict XVI's main message is that various "malfunctions" have taken place in the economy which are threatening human development in all its various forms. He points out that the current turmoil in world economies is being caused by a blind pursuit of profit and that our various social institutions have shifted their focus away from protecting people towards the narrower focus of profit.

The solution, according to Pope Benedict, is the creation of a business culture that is dedicated to the common good. Along the way, he calls for our various social institutions to be retooled back to their purpose of supporting true human development. In a time of global economic turmoil, Pope Benedict's call to re-examine the role of the economy and its structures needs to be carefully considered. After all, the economy exists to collectively serve us, not the other way around. Farmers, some of whom are struggling greatly with challenges brought on by changing markets and social support, may find much that they can agree with in the encyclical's analysis and recommendations.

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