As well as populism, Pope Francis also speaks of liberalism in chapter 5, recognising that it can have some positive but also negative attributes. In n.167 he says: Education and upbringing, concern for others, a well-integrated view of life and spiritual growth: all these are essential for quality human relationships and for enabling society itself to react against injustices, aberrations and abuses of economic, technological, political and media power. Some liberal approaches ignore the factor of human weakness; they envisage a world that follows a determined order and is capable by itself of enduring a bright future and provide solutions for every problem. They remove learning from the interaction of all, especially those considered by them to be weak, from their picture of life. in n.168, the pope refers to neo-liberal thought. Here are some ideas he presents on it: The market place cannot resolve every problem…Financial speculation aimed at quick profit continues to wreak havoc…the fragility of world systems in the face of the pandemic has demonstrated that not everything can be resolved by market freedom.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne, County Cork, Ireland.
