The Framework of a Christian State: An Introduction to Social Science

The Framework of a Christian State: An Introduction to Social Science by Fr. Edward Cahill, S.J. — 1932 Nihil obstat and Imprimi potest. Hardcover, 704 pages. This book is intended primarily for students of Social Science who accept the Church’s teaching.

Its main purpose is to summarize and present in a consecutive and more or less scientific form the main elements of the teachings of the Roman Pontiffs (especially Leo XIII and our present Holy Father Pius XI), the Catholic Bishops and the standard Catholic authors on questions connected with social organization and public life.

When once men recognize, both in private and public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony.” — Pius XI in the Encyclical on the Kingship of Jesus Christ.

The history of the modern world, since the French-Masonic Revolution, consists in the war to defend or to destroy the very ideals of Christian civilization. God’s plan for men is that all of their societal structures, especially the government of their nation-states should be imbued with Catholic principles, and that Christ would be officially recognized by the state as king and ruler of the nation, that all of the laws of each state, would not only protect the freedom of His Church to operate freely among men for their salvation, but that further, each state would pattern its laws and government according the the social principles laid out by the Church for the happiness and freedom of mankind.

But in the modern age, men have uncrowned Him as their King. This uncivilized age has cried out, like the Sanhedrin of old, “We will NOT have this Man rule over us.” Thus, we are now quickly regressing into a new and very dark age of barbarism (with modern technology and weapons!) such as the world has never seen before.

The Framework of a Christian State includes such topics as personal rights and duties, the privileges and position of the family in the social organism, the interrelations of capital and labor, the place of religion in public life, education, the functions of the State, its constitution, laws and administration, the due interrelations of its component parts with one another, its relations with the Church, etc.

Fr. Edward Cahill was an Irish Jesuit who founded “an Rioghacht”, a group of Catholics focused upon bringing the principles espoused in the papal encyclical Quas Primas (on the Kingship of Christ), to the modern world. This book is his masterpiece.

Framework of a Christian State
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

Preliminary Chapter

PART I: HISTORICAL SKETCH

Introductory Note

CHAPTER I : Pagan Society in the Early Roman Empire

CHAPTER II: Christian Society in the Fifth Century

CHAPTER III: The Early Middle Ages

Art. I—General Historical Survey (5th to 11th centuries)
Art. 2 — Social Regeneration of the Barbarians
Art. 3 — Monasticism
Art. 4 — Abolition of Slavery
Art. 5 — Charity of the Church

CHAPTER IV: The Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries – Historical Outline

CHAPTER V: Social and Political Principles of Christendom

CHAPTER VI: Medieval Economic Teaching

Art. 1 — Ownership of Goods
Art. 2 — The Just Price
Art. 3 — Usury

CHAPTER VII: Social Classes in Medieval Times

Art. 1 — The Feudal Nobility
Art. 2 — The Agricultural Class
Art. 3 — The Industrial Workers

CHAPTER VIII: Social Results of Protestantism

Art. 1 — Introductory
Art. 2 — Rise and Spread of Protestantism
Art. 3 — Direct Consequences of the Protestant Revolt
Art. A—Protestantism and Pauperism
Art. 5 — Protestantism and Morality

CHAPTER IX: Liberalism

Art. 1 — What is Liberalism
Art. 2 — Rationalism or Naturalism
Art. 3 — Political Liberalism
Art. 4 — Effects of Political Liberalism on Public Life
Art. 5 — Liberal Catholicism
Art. G—Economic Liberalism
Art. 7—Critique of Economic Liberalism

CHAPTER X: Individualistic Capitalism

Art. 1 — The Capitalist Regime and Individualistic Capitalism
Art. 2 — Rise and Growth of the Capitalist Economic Regime
Art. 3 — Rise of Individualistic Capitalism
Art. 4 — Principles Underlying Individualistic Capitalism
Art. 5 — Evil Results of Individualistic Capitalism

CHAPTER XI: Socialism

Art. 1 — Introduction
Art. 2 — idealistic Communism
Art. 3 — Nature of Socialism
Art. 3A-Historical Sketch of Socialism
Art. 4 — Non-Catholic Social Movements and Socialism
Art. 5 — Critique of Socialism

CHAPTER XII: Revolutionary Communism (Bolshevism)

Art. 1 — Historical Sketch
Art. 2 — Communist International Activities
Art. 3 The Soviet Governmental System
Art. 4 — The Soviet Internal Policy

CHAPTER XIII: Freemasonry and Allied Societies

Art. 1 — The Rise and Spread of Freemasonry
Art. 2 — Masonic Aims, Character and Policy
Art. 3 — Masonic Organisation
Art. 4 — Masonic Methods and Means

CHAPTER XIV: The Social Question

CHAPTER XV: The Catholic Social Movement

Art. 1 — Its Nature
Art. 2 — Historical Sketch
Art. 3 — The Catholic Organisations

PART II: CATHOLIC SOCIAL PRINCIPLES

Introductory Note

CHAPTER XVI: The Individual

Art. 1 — Human Personality
Art. 2 — Rights and Duties
Art. 3 — Duty of Religion

CHAPTER XVII: Duties and Rights Regarding One’s Self

Art. 1 — Duty and Right of Labour
Art. 2 — The Right to Acquire Property
Art. 3 — Christian Concept of Property Rights
Art. 4 — Right to Personal Freedom

CHAPTER XVIII: The Family

Art. 1 — General Principles
Art. 2 — The Family Homestead

CHAPTER XIX: Husband and Wife

Art. 1 — The Marriage Contract
Art. 2 — Non-Christian Attitude Towards Marriage

CHAPTER XX: Parents and Children — Education

Art. 1 — Introduction
Art. 2 — Functions of Parents in Education
Art. 3 — The Church’s Function in Education
Art. 4 — Functions of the State in Education
Art. 5 — The Moral and Religious Elements in the Schools
Art. 6 — Some Further Points Regarding Christian Education

CHAPTER XXI: Master and Servant (Employer and Employed)

Art. 1 — General Principles
Art. 2 — The Modern Labour Problem
Art. 3 — Duties and Rights of Employers and Employed
Art. 4 — Implications of an Equitable Wage Contract
Art. 5 — Further Means to be Employed in Solving the Labour Problem
Art. G—Industrial Associations

CHAPTER XXII: The Social Status of Women

Art. 1 — Sphere of the Two Sexes in the Social Organism
Art. 2 — The Social Status of Women in Historical Times
Art. 3 — The Feminist Movement
Art. 4 — Some Social Aspects of Feminism

CHAPTER XXIII: The State

Art. 1 — Nature of the State
Art. 2 — Origin of the State
Art. 3 — Functions of the State
Art. 4 — Functions of the State Regarding Religion and Morals
Art. 5 — The Constituent Parts and Organisation of the State
Art. 6 — The Central Authority in the State

CHAPTER XXIV: Justice

Art. 1 — The Nature of Justice
Art. 2 — Commutative Justice

CHAPTER XXV: Legal Justice

Art. 1 — General Principles
Art. 2 — Obligations of Legal Justice
Art. 3 — Duties Regarding the People’s Material Well-being

CHAPTER XXVI: Distributive Justice

Art. 1 — General Principles
Art. 2 — Taxes
Art. 3 — Taxing of Land Values
Art. 4 — Appointment to Public Offices

CHAPTER XXVII: Charity

Art. 1 — Nature and Motives of the Virtue of Charity
Art. 2 — The Precept of Almsgiving
Art. 3 — The Church’s Practice and Discipline
Art. 4 — Practical Application of the Church’s Teaching

CHAPTER XXVIII: Patriotism

Art. 1 — Introductory
Art. 2 — Virtue of Patriotism
Art. 3 — Patriotism and the Christian Law
Art. 4 — Duties of Patriotism

CHAPTER XXIX: The Church

Art. 1 — Prerogatives of the Church
Art. 2 — Relations Between Church and State
Art. 3 — The Church and Social Well-being
Art. 4 — The Priest and Social Action

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I: Social Life in Medieval Ireland
APPENDIX II: Historical Background of the Social Question in Ireland
APPENDIX III: Social Question in Ireland

Index

Within the “Framework of a Christian State” will be found suggestions borrowed mostly from approved Catholic writers, as to practical means of realizing Christian principles and ideals in social and civic organization.