446 GLOBALIZATION

YOUCAT Lesson 446

YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth

446  What does the Church say about globalization?

Globalization is in itself neither good nor bad; it is, rather, the description of a reality that must be shaped.  “Originating within economically developed countries, this process by its nature has spread to include all economies.  It has been the principal driving force behind the emergence from underdevelopment of whole regions, and in itself it represents a great opportunity.  Nevertheless, without the guidance of charity in truth, this global force could cause unprecedented damage and create new divisions within the human family”  (Pope Benedict XVI, CARITAS IN VERITATE).

In economic globalization there are some who have only burdens to bear. ….. 446

When we buy inexpensive jeans, we should not be indifferent to the conditions in which they were manufactured, to the question of whether or not the workers received a just wage.  Everyone’s fortune matters.  No one’s poverty should leave us indifferent.  On the political level, there is a need for “a true world political authority” (Pope Benedict XVI, citing Pope St. John XXIII, Encyclical “Pacem in Terris”) to help reach a compromise between the people in the rich nations and those in underdeveloped countries.  Far too often the later are still excluded from the advantages of economic globalization and have only burdens to bear.

“It is disturbing to witness a globalization that exacerbates the conditions of the needy, that does not sufficiently contribute to resolving situations of hunger, poverty, and social inequality that fails to safeguard the natural environment.  These aspects of globalization can give rise to extreme reactions, leading to excessive nationalism, religious fanaticism, and even acts of terrorism.”  Pope St. John Paul II, (1920-2005), 2003