Kommentar zum Gesetz über eine Kriegsabgabe von Vermögenszuwachs und zum Gesetz über eine außerordentliche Kriegsabgabe für das Rechnungsjahr 1919 vom 10. September 1919

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1016238525

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-55274

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Kommentar zum Gesetz über eine Kriegsabgabe von Vermögenszuwachs und zum Gesetz über eine außerordentliche Kriegsabgabe für das Rechnungsjahr 1919 vom 10. September 1919

Place of publication:: Berlin

Publisher:: Verlag von Otto Liebmann

Year of publication:: 1920

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (XXIII, 548 Seiten)

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

CATHOLIC SOCIALISTS. 127 Mayence, like Lassalle, thinks that the “ self-help ” of Herr Schulze-Delitsch, that is to say, the savings of the working men themselves, will not be sufficient. But, while the Socialist agitator demands a hundred millions of thalers from the State to reform the existing order of things, the Catholic prelate appeals to Christian charity. The social question, he says, is closely connected with Christianity. Is not the first and great commandment of the Gospel to love our fellow-men and aid those who suffer? Should we not sacrifice everything in order to fulfil it ? But how is this duty, which Christ imposes upon us in such pressing and even menacing language, to be performed? Experience has shown that it cannot be done by alms alone ; and, inasmuch as economic laws always reduce wages to an insufficient mini mum, the end can only be attained by putting the labourer in the way of bettering his condition by the utilization of capital belonging to him. “ May God in His goodness,” cries Von Ketteler, “ bring all good Catholics to adopt this idea of co-operative associations of production, upon the basis of Christianity ! Thus alone can salvation be brought to the labouring classes. The freedom promised by Liberalism is like Dead Sea fruit, fair on the out side but dust and ashes within. Liberalism proclaims freedom of contract ; but for the labourer without capital, it is merely freedom to die of hunger ; for how can he live, if he does not accept whatever conditions may be imposed upon him ? Free dom to go where he likes, Freizügigkeit, is another meaningless phrase ; for is not the working man who has a wife and children tied to the spot where he is settled? How can he seek employment elsewhere, when he lacks the means of satisfying his first needs? Freedom of labour; what is it, except the competition of labourers reducing their wages to the lowest point ? Free trade ; what other result has it except to enable the rich to buy what they want in the cheapest market, and to reduce the working man to the level of those who can u sist upon the least? Christianity, practically applied, can alone bring it about that these liberties, of which capitalists ow reap the entire profit, may also benefit the labourers.

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: The Socialism of to-day

Monograph

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation