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Globalization – the Catholic Church’s Approach

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 Globalization – the Catholic Church’s Approach
Sebastian Kot
The Management Faculty, Czestochowa University of Technology, Czestochowa, Poland;
North-West University, Faculty of Economic Sciences and IT, Vaal Triangle, South Africa
[email protected]

Abstract
Effects of the globalization, which can be observed especially in the recent time; the growth of the
economic migration and these one caused by armed conflicts, the growing disproportion in the
affluence of societies, internationalization of effects of religious-based conflicts or speeding up and
the rise of the volume of information exchange cause the Roman Catholic Church faces new
challenges. Therefore describing the process of globalization from the Catholic Church point of view
is a purpose of this article, which can not only help solving globalization problems as well as is a
creator of attitudes of the essential part of the mankind. Deliberations in the article were based on the
Roman Catholic Church social science and official statements of the highest hierarches.

Keywords: globalization, Catholic Church, Social Teaching

Introduction
Globalization is a term, which nowadays became unusually popular. At present discussions
containing the notion "globalization" in their contents become increasingly common among
scientists, journalists, politicians, businessmen or artists. In everyday conversations references to the
globalization repeat, which include global markets, global transport, global conferences, global
threats and so on. In fact it is an extensive phenomenon, having effects towards which the Roman
Catholic Church must also take a stand. Because from one side the globalization gives to the entire
mankind unique abilities of communication, solidarity, mutual cognition and enrichment and from
the other side poses a threat of the marginalization of whole societies and social groups, as well as
domination of the world through economics.
Globalization, how many Authors underline, on account of one's dynamic and multifaceted character is a
phenomenon impossible for explicit interpreting. Three fundamental dimensions of the globalization are
most often mentioned, that is: economic, political and cultural, supplemented with public, scientific or
ecological aspects. Every of these presentations puts emphasis on interpretation of the concept of the
globalization characteristic of it (Miklaszewski and Molendowski, 2009)
Smith and Baylis in their publication present the concise and specific definition of the globalization,
claiming that: “(…) it is a process of intensifying interrelations among societies leading to the state
that events in the one part of the world more and more affect people and societies in remote places”
(Smith and Baylis).
Globalization is a phenomenon that occurs in almost all areas of modern life, undoubtedly the
greatest changes can be observed in a widely understood economy. Globalization affects not only
regional markets but also influences global demand and supply. As a result of the growing global
competition, technological changes and increasing customer’s requirements, companies have been
making efforts to reduce costs, along with the things that are not directly related to the companies’
targets (Ślusarczyk and Golnik, 2015; Rajnoha and Lesníková, 2016; Slávik and Zagoršek, 2016;
Ślusarczyk, 2017; Akhter, 2017; Niño-Amézquita et al., 2017; ).
The globalization indicates certain process, which includes different fields of the human life, from the
economy and the social life up to the cultural changes. The globalization carries rapid acceleration of
the formation of supranational institutions, organizations, enterprises fundamentally changing
cultural, political and social life. A social awareness is a subject to transformations. Confidence of
interrelationships between states and nations deepens. New forms of the interpersonal
communication, mainly of electronic communication support and perhaps are some kind of the
driving force of very process of globalization. A significant characteristic of the globalization is
"progressing disappearance of obstacles hampering moving of people, capital and goods. This
process is a specific triumph of the market and its logic, which next results in violent evolution of
social systems and cultures” (Jan Paweł II, 2001)

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A. Giddens defines the globalization as "an intensification of social relations worldwide, which connect
remote places in such a way that local events are being shaped by events appearing in places much moved
away and vice versa"(Giddens 1990). It is a revolutionary development of social relations so far locally
settled, freeing from spatial and time borders and replacing local, traditional market or formal-legal norms
with global norms.
Through this definition A. Giddens criticizes these theories of the globalization, which too much easily
accepting political arrangements based on the victory of the neoliberalism in 1980, which justifies the
primacy of market forces, the free trade, the liberalization of finances and the open competition. Of course
these parameters are easily being accepted, because the globalization is based on a theory which
effectively breaks off the relationship between social entities and historical and political processes (Kiely,
2005).

Globalization according to the Roman Catholic Church

The lack of the Church official document exclusively devoted to globalization does not mean,
however, that the Church has neglected the subject. The Catholic Church is no stranger to
globalization. The Church's mission from the beginning has been to spread the Good News to every
corner of the earth. In the course of pursuing that mission for 2,000 years, she has time and again
confronted challenges posed by transformations of culture as well as by cultural differences
(Glendon). The church popularized the Christian culture, for which the Latin and the system of values
based on the Gospel were a medium.
It turns out that the Church always thought about economics, even before its name was formulated.
What is more, many different economic recommendation are already mentioned in the Old
Testament. Of course the Bible always recommended to act honestly in the trade. The first document
of the Church concerning economic cases dates from AD 325. In that time the Council of Nicaea
decided to exclude from the community these from the presbyters, which searched for the profit,
lending at interest. For centuries as far as until today the Church deals with economic issues,
considering them from a moral point of view, recommending the economy not to lose concern about
the man that he should be always on the top (http://radom.gazeta.pl).
Historically speaking, a dual tendency in relation to globalization can be observed in the Social
Teaching of the Catholic Church for a very long time. Firstly, there is the question of contents
(Schasching, 2001). After the fall of Communism, social encyclicals Centesimus Annus offered a
global approach for the achievement of a just economic, social and political order. ‘Today we are
facing the so called ‘globalization of the economy’, a phenomenon which is not to be dismissed,
since it can create unusual opportunities of greater prosperity.
There is a growing feeling, however, that this increasing internationalization of the economy ought to
be accompanied by effective international agencies which will oversee and direct the economy to the
common good, something that an individual State, even if it were the most powerful on earth, would
not be in a position to do. In order to achieve this result, it is necessary that there be increased
coordination among the more powerful countries, and that in international agencies the interests of
the whole human family be equally represented.
Catholicism does not stand aloof from "the world." On the contrary, the Catholic social tradition is
one in which the faithful are obliged to be active in working for justice, freedom, respect for the
dignity of the person, the common good, and peace.
It is worthwhile to describe here the position of the Church towards the globalization, paying
attention to three aspects of this phenomenon: economic, cultural and ethical. According to John Paul
II's the contemporary victory and becoming of the free market economy worldwide constitute the
right answer to the human economic needs, since it respects the free enterprise. Simultaneously the
Pope stresses the need for creations of control mechanisms, which would ensure managing the
globalization of the free market this way so that it would realize the common wealth. It would protect
the mankind and the human intercourse from subordinating them to the logic of the profit
(http://www.archidiecezja.katowice.pl).
Pope John Paul II has counseled and modeled a cautiously hopeful view of globalization. Provided
that the principle of common humanity is recognized, he said in his World Day of Peace Message last
year, "this recognition can give the world as it is today — marked by the process of globalization — a
soul, a meaning and a direction. Globalization, for all its risks, also offers exceptional and promising

2
opportunities, precisely with a view to enabling humanity to become a single family, built on the
values of justice, equity and solidarity." (World Day of Peace Message, 2000)
No system is an end in itself, one should consistently state that the globalization, as every other
system, must serve the man, must serve the solidarity and the common wealth". The system should
accommodate itself to the man, and it is not right to sacrifice the man for the system. The Pope
expresses his concern, so that the phenomenon of the globalization does not still more deepen already
existing division into the poor and the rich. He hopes that "all creative elements of the society will
cooperate in supporting the globalization which will serve the man and
everyone”(http://www.archidiecezja.katowice.pl).
Pope John Paul II, in his speech to the United Nations on its 50th anniversary in 1995, for example,
the Holy Father issued the following plea: "Inspired by the example of all those who have taken the
risk of freedom, can we not recommit ourselves also to taking the risk of solidarity — and thus the
risk of peace?"( Address to the United Nations, 1995). It is important to note, however, that
"solidarity" in Catholic social thought diverges in important respects from similar-sounding secular
ideas. The Catholic Church teaches solidarity, not as a set of policies or programs, but as a virtue
which relates to the perfection of the individual (Fortin, 1989). The virtue of solidarity is inseparable
from personal reform and requires constant practice.
Also the Pope Benedict considered the globalization issue, he said that there are, "new possibilities
and new risks" arising from globalization, which must be faced "with the broadest possible agreement
among nations." Globalization, he said, "is an opportunity to create a network of understanding and
solidarity among peoples, without reducing everything to merely commercial or pragmatic
exchanges." In this network there should be room "for the human problems of each place and, in
particular, of emigrants forced to leave their own land in search of better living conditions; something
which at times has grave consequences on the individual, family and social spheres."
(https://www.catholicnewsagency.com)
Evaluating the globalization it is worth to recall John Paul II that globalization in itself is neither
good nor bad, but that its impact will depend on decisions made by us. Therefore, governing
globalization calls for wisdom, not just empirical data, noted John Paul II.
Evaluating the globalization it is possible to state that it brings benefits, as well as damages in the
same time. It creates new chances, but also gives rise to new threats. The globalization of economics
and finances is already a reality, world follows the road of the globalization. Despite of still unclear
consequences of changes, we already certainly know that they bring great hopes, but also questions
and anxieties. Although certain threats arise, also many promising possibilities open. People should
be aware of duty of exerting influence on a course of things and events.
Bishop Crepaldi dedicates a chapter looking at three mistakes made in analyzing globalization
(Crepaldi, 2006). The first of these, a sort of economic determinism, consists in considering
globalization as a sort of undeniable process that leaves us with no room to maneuver. We can feel
impotent in the face of changes that come about far removed from our control. For this reason it is
necessary that international organizations and the more powerful nations not impose on the poorer
and weaker countries economic changes that do not take into account local needs and problems.
The Church also asks for respect for local traditions and cultures and not to impose a globalization
based only on economic criteria (Mikoláš and Karpeta, 2015). It is vital also that the human person be
the main protagonist in the process of development. This requires full respect for human liberty and
not reducing people to mere economic instruments. In this way globalization is seen not as a technical
question, but as a process to be guided by people. Economic and technical processes may well bring
us closer, but not necessarily more united. And if they are made absolutes, they risk dividing, not
uniting, humanity. A second mistake is a reductionism that simply blames all problems and social
changes on globalization without an adequate analysis of each situation. The impact of globalization
on many aspects of our lives cannot be denied, admits Bishop Crepaldi, but it is wrong to simply
blame all the world's ills as stemming from it. Many countries have benefited from globalization and
it is not necessarily the case that the economic advances of one nation result from impoverishing
another. The problems of underdeveloped countries often stem from a complex series of factors, not
all of them economic. The third mistake is similar to the second, and consists in thinking that by now
all is globalized. There are, nevertheless, sectors of economic activity that are not integrated globally.
In addition, hand in hand with globalization there has been an increased emphasis on local and
regional identities.

3
In this context it is possible to indicate the attitude of people to the globalization, which is at least
twofold kind: there are supporters and opponents for it, one call to the mobilization in order not to fall
behind, second call for opposing threat caused by "global powers". Voice of the second resounds
more sonorously, although it does not seem they create the majority. It is hard to resist the impression
that protests are only verbal and propaganda. Because if they were sincere, would order their authors
to take the ascetic and restrained attitude, to demonstrate it is possible to defend itself, to get around
without it. Meanwhile opponents of the globalization use techniques urging it - satellites, thanks to
which they are using mobile phones and provide themselves the worldwide reach, the Internet and
financial flows. They are protesting against the globalization, using mechanisms of the globalization.
It is hard to be a real opponent of facts. And the inevitability of the globalization is a fact, as well as
inevitability of problems associated with it. It is important not to close for changes, but it is necessary
to want to participate in them, to be open.
It is necessary to grant the process of globalization such a moral dimension, and especially to create
the law, which will ease reduction of the chasm between the ones which are rich, and the ones which
are too poor. Black script of the globalization, in which only few in allocated enclaves will be
wealthy, should not be realized. People and institutions responsible for legal and economical
mechanisms should - what representatives of religious circles appeal for - to enable everyone to use
benefits of the globalization fairly. It especially regards Third World countries, treated until now
rather as the source of profits.
At present it is more and more hard to state, what is the purpose of the mankind. It is possible to
discuss the conquest of space, the extreme capitalism, the technological progress etc. However it is
not possible to forget that in China and India a great economic progress has just took place, their
GDP is the highest in the world and farther grows, and in these countries still millions of people are
suffering the misery, the poverty and the lack of the personal freedom. John Paul II emphasizes that
spiritual and ethical aspects in the time of the globalization are more important than economic and
financial. He states that processes triggered by the globalization of the economy and of means of
social communication leads for objectifying of the man, and consequently losses of the identity and
dignities of a human being (Urbański, 2003).
One should remember about the fact that the man is a subject to a permanent development depending
on the age, his physical and psychological abilities and the development of the surrounding
civilization. The man is a subject and an author of all social, political, economic and cultural
institutions. The man is a social being, it means that nobody can treat without the second neither on a
material level, nor cultural. Also a religious development of the individual is impossible with
omitting the second man. Without contacts with the other cannot neither live nor develop oneself and
his talents.
In conditions of the free trade, where strong compete with weak, developed with undeveloped, a
regulation protecting weak countries in their going to the full involvement in the global economy is
needed, also restrictions of promoting sales of the arms to poor countries, of opening the own market
to products of developing world, active supporting decisions of appropriate structures of the regional
safety and refraining oneself from establishing for poorest states syllabuses of equaling in functioning
of the economy, which are difficult to achieve. It reduces capital public expenditure for the health
care and the education particularly for women (Fel and Kupny, 2002). The current generation is
responsible for future generations. We cannot conduct a business activity at children and grandsons
expense, to use stores, undermine abilities of functioning of the national economy, to incur debts and
pollute environment. Future generations also have the right to live in the intact environment and to
claim the right to its sources.
The global trade and the global flow of information (especially advertisements) change consumers’
tastes, their expectations, preferences, a lifestyle, into the irreparable way. It is about that
globalization so far often negative consisted in breaking and making holes in borders, it allowed to
globalize the capital, commodities market, information, crime, terrorism - but not instruments of the
policy action or the judiciary, which still are based on the territorial sovereignty. So far, a positive
globalization did not follow the negative globalization. Tools of the control over economic and social
processes are not just enough of the reach and results of the globalization
(http://www.prawo.uni.wroc.pl).
It will not be possible to deny the fact that groups, even entire nations economically and politically
weaker treat the process of globalization as imposed upon them against their will. Therefore if the

4
trade and the information exchange have already practically no restrictions, which recently border
between states still created, it is necessary to emphasize that the common wealth demands that the
internal logic of the market was a subject to a control (Benedykt XVI).
At present a number of important problems occur in a field of science, technique, economic and
social life, administration and culture, which exceed possibilities of only one state and require the
cooperation of many and sometimes even all countries of world. Since states must mutually
complement each other, can try to get self-interests only under this condition that at the same time
they will have benefits of the other on the attention. Nations face essential needs for the unanimous
agreement and the mutual providing help for themselves about the supranational and even world
dimension. This situation shows as the Church having ancient experience of the interdependence of
all nations of earth, early notices economic, political, social but first of all moral phenomena, which
at present are being called the globalization.

Summary
Positives of the globalization, which were earlier described, are: the economic cooperation, the
prosperity and stopping the unemployment. The economic prosperity should concern the more and
more wide panorama of states in order to reach everyone. The globalization supports the prosperity,
because it increases possibilities of the selection of means of production, contributes to the better
recognition and of the agreement between many communities. It also extorts dynamics and the
flexibility on the labour market. Also competition grows, which should act for the good of both
societies, and individuals.
After initial fascination for the economic globalization its negatives are being noticed. They are i.a.
creation of socioeconomic irregularities. A problem of the structural unemployment escalates, what
causes increase of those living on the line or below poverty line. The globalization is often accused
for all evil of contemporary world: terrorism, poverty, unemployment, breaking social bonds, loss of
cultural roots of every man. And so the globalization exactly on account of the good but also the evil
carried by it, cannot be the phenomenon harmless to the Church. The Church puts emphasis on the
human dignity, on basic human rights. Some theologians are like to create the special ethical
international code for the globalization (http://www.archidiecezja.katowice.pl).
Beyond its 1.2 billion followers, the global influence of the Catholic Church is undeniable. In many
respects, it is a unique human institution. Even an ancient, relatively rigid religious institution as the
Catholic Church, has recognized the increasing need to be more attuned with current and coming
challenges and opportunities. Many paradigms have been broken, and much more is yet to come
(Marmolejo, 2013).
Globalization is a challenge not only for the economic, social and political forces of society and the
world. It is also a challenge for the teaching and structures of the Catholic Church. This teaching has
progressed from a rather limited point of view to a growing awareness of the new challenges of
globalization. But, as the encyclical Centesimus Annus observes, ‘much remains to be done’

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