Page 18 - Michael August 2021

Economic Democracy Is a Conviction We Firmly Hold

It Is a Philosophy of Economic Life

by Louis Even “For then only will

Principles the economic and social
organism be soundly es-
Question — Is Econom- tablished and attain its
ic Democracy nothing more end, when it secures for
than a monetary system? all and each those goods
Economic Democracy, which the wealth and re-
or Social Credit — not sources of nature, tech-
the system of control and nical achievement, and
espionage currently ap- the social organization of
plied in Communist China, economic affairs can give.
but the financial proposals These goods must be suf-
of Scottish engineer Clif- ficient to supply all needs
ford Hugh Douglas con- and an honest livelihood,
ceived in 1917, and taught and to uplift men to that
by MICHAEL since 1953 higher level of prosperity
— is, above all, a matter and culture which, pro-
of conviction. A convic- vided it be used with pru-
tion based upon facts and dence, is not only no hin-
guided by principles. It is drance but is of singular
a philosophy of economic help to virtue.”
life. Social Credit reasons The expression “all and
in terms of realities, not in each” member of society
terms of money. On the was taken up by Pope Pius
one hand, there are normal Louis Even at our 1955 Congress in Quebec City XII in his Pentecost radio
needs, real needs, and on address on June 1, 1941:
the other hand, there is the capacity to produce and “Every man indeed, as a reasonable gifted be-
deliver the goods that answer these needs. ing, has from nature the fundamental right to make
Another fact: Life in society allows much great- use of the material goods of the earth... Such an indi-
er production to be made than if every individual vidual right cannot, by any means, be suppressed.”
worked by himself without being part of an organ- These principles existed long before they were
ized society. Working together causes an increment mentioned by the Popes, and long before Douglas
in production that is owed to their being associated, conceived Social Credit in 1917.
an increase that must benefit all members of society. As coheirs
Hence the conviction expressed by Social Cred- Douglas added another reason why men have
it: Given the abundance of products, already made the right to make use of the material goods of the
or that could readily be made, a well-organized soci- earth. Pius XII said man has this right because he is a
ety can and must supply all of its members with the being gifted with reason, and this was the case ever
means to satisfy their economic needs, beginning since the first human being was created. Douglas
with the most important ones. A certain level of eco- added another consideration: modern man has this
nomic security must be provided to each and every- right because he has inherited all the discoveries, the
one under no condition other than it being feasible. inventions, the applied science, the new sources of
The financial proposals set forth by Scottish en- energy, the improvements in production methods,
gineer Clifford Hugh Douglas, and the modifications and other benefits that were handed down from past
to the monetary system they imply, are only means generations to our generation.
offered to achieve this end. By establishing what end This inheritance was not “earned” by any one in-
must be achieved, and subjecting the means to this dividual of this generation. It is a communal good. It is
end, Social Credit agrees with the concept of a truly also the largest factor in today’s production. Without it,
humane social organism that Pope Pius XI had in neither the efforts of workers nor the investments of the
mind when he wrote the following in his encyclical capitalists would be able to supply any significant part
letter Quadragesimo Anno, in 1931: of today’s huge production. It is a common inheritance,

18 MICHAEL August/September 2021 www.michaeljournal.org