Important Conclusions In Centessimus Annus Essay, Research Paper

Important Conclusions In Centesimus Annus

The encyclical letter Centesimus Annus, was written on

the one hundredth anniversary of Pope Leo XIII encyclical

letter Rerum Novarum. Centesimus Annus was written to honor

Rerum Novarum, but to also honor the encyclicals and

documents that helped Rerum Novarum become such an important

part of history. Pope John Paul II writes that the purposes

of Centesimus Annus are to look back at Rerum Novarum, to

look at the new things that surround us, and to look to the

future for it is hard to tell what will happen in the next

millennium. Centesimus Annus has many very important points

and the Pope concludes them with lots of different reasons

on why they are so significant. Over the next few pages I

will give the three most important conclusions, do the best

to my knowledge to try and give reasons that the pope gives

to support his claims. The three conclusions range from how

a business can be successful, to the roles that businesses

have their countries to grow, and to government, businesses

and society’s role in human growth.

The first of the three important conclusions that the

pope draws upon starts with the assumption that profit is

the goal of every business and that a business is successful

if they make a profit. This is true, but according to the

pope in Centesimus Annus, the business will be truly

successful if they place more emphasis on the following

topics: placing more stress on worker to worker relations,

the dignity of work, and the developing of skills as well as

virtue. The pope first stresses his argument in section 35

saying “ It is possible for the financial accounts to be in

order a yet for the people, who make up the firms most

valuable asset, to be humiliated… the purpose of a

business firm is not simply to make profit, but is to be

found in it’s very existence as a community of persons.”

This restates his conclusion, saying that of course the

purpose is to make a profit, but the workers must all be

able to work together and be paid well, and not have their

dignity revoked.

When people work, it is somewhat of a way of expressing

themselves, showing their gifts and talents while working

together with other people. This is one of the reasons why

the dignity of work is so important in this world, as the

pope says in part 6, “ Work thus belongs to the vocation of

every person; indeed, man expresses and fulfills himself by

working. At the same time work has a social dimension

through its intimate relationship not only to family, but

also to the common good…”

When people work together, it builds up the

togetherness they have in the work place. The pope says

that people work not only for themselves but for other

people such as their families. Also people work together,

when people are working together and working with customers,

together, this expands the solidarity involved in the

economy.

To be successful of course one needs to keep developing

their virtues and skills. As the pope states in part 32 of

Centesimus Annus, some important virtues involved included

diligence, reliability and fidelity in relationships, and

courage in making tough decisions. Also since we are in a

world that is fast moving and technology is ever-changing,

we must still be furthering our education. And as the pope

exclaims in part 33,“ ..Those who fail to keep up with the

times can easily be marginalized…” This of course means

that if one doesn’t continue top grow with the times, they

can easily be replaced.