Customer Reviews

On Human Work : Laborem Exercens

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Catholic Church has always affirmed and promoted the value and dignity of human work. Her position on this issue stems from the view of work that goes well beyond its utilitarian purpose, and it's deeply rooted in the Scripture and Tradition. The advent of the industrial revolution brought many of the issues of the proper relation between individuals, society, employers, and economic structures to the forefront of political and philosophical discussions. Some systems of thought that drew impetus from the unjust and oftentimes-dangerous workplace conditions have had a major sway on the public opinion over the past couple of centuries. Many of these ideologies, however, have not stood the test of time, and their implementations have in fact made matters far worse for vast number of people.

Pope John Paul II's third encyclical "Laborem Exercens" reaffirms social teachings of the Church, particularly in matters of work and labor relations. It builds on the Pope Leo XIII's seminal 1891 encyclical "Rerum Novarum" which has been the guiding light for the Church's teachings on societal and economic issues ever since its publication. "Laborem Exercens" reiterates the position that labor takes precedence over capital, and as such needs to be treated with special care in all economic relations. This dichotomy, however, between the labor and the capital has been in my opinion of only a limited use in the past, and in today's increasingly interlinked and technologically advanced economy it becomes increasingly blurred. This part of the encyclical has perhaps aged less well than the rest of it. The encyclical concludes with the reflections on the spiritual dimensions of work, which are deeply rooted in the Scriptures, and in particular in the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles.

During the current economic crisis, when high level of unemployment is one of the biggest unresolved political and economic issues throughout the world, it is hortatory to take a look at what the Church teaches about this topic. "Laborem Exercens" is an excellent source of those teachings and overall a very thoughtful and uplifting encyclical.