Christian Democracy and Social Democracy (28/11/12)

Marx once wrote in the context of a revolutionary programme drawn up by the Eisenachers that the programme of the Social Catholic movement (‘Das Zentrum’) was the origin of most of the practical programme of social democracy. By social democracy was meant in the 1860s the drive to disposess all independent businesses. He condemned those who called for agitation against Das Zentrum.

In the 1930’s Das Zentrum was known as the People’s Party and under Von Papen gave their votes to Hitler. Von Papen was murdered soon afterwards. He gave his votes to Hitler because of the danger of Stalinism.

In 2004 the Hartz Four changes of the SPD meant that income support was cut from 124 Euros per month to 90 Euros per month. Germany is a rigidly bureaucratic country and the differentials between workers and unemployed grew.

The Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union opposed this heartless manoeuvre and subsequently came to power.

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7.7.2025

Social democracy can not cater for the needs of the poor or orphaned child because it is based on rampant materialism no more than US Republicans hear the cry of those seeking social justice or the poor and indigent. The latter base their policies on the greed of the very wealthy and on a tiny minority of super-rich.

In Europe and Catholic countries and societies which are influenced by Church social principles or social centrist principles of government,the needs of the widows and orphans traditionally come to the fore.

However, the Fall of Soviet socialism has undermines the system of public charity and social endowment. That system has partly or largely ceased for the poor. Many poor people have been thrown back on their declining resources for the most part in proportion to the declining share of wealth allowed by businessmen to the poor.

Strict discipline in the Irish Church’s social action (2/2013)

The ugly face of liberalism has declaimed the Church as child molesters and thugs who operated laundries and industrial schools. An attempt is being made by the Irish Labour Party in the South of Ireland to drive the Church out of education which would be gravely detrimental to the education of workers'  children and the general quality of education.

Let us be clear.

The Church afforded sanctuary,comfort and solace to orphans and abandoned mothers in the Magdalene Laundries which where operated until 1992 in the South. 

Abuse has been greatly exaggerated.

In the era before social security payments became a legal right, strict discipline was required to prepare young Irish boys for a life as migrant labourers and tradesmen in England, Scotland, Australia and America.A ferocious religious and racist bias was directed at the Irish Catholics because of their religion and nationality in all these jurisdictions.

It would seem that the Christian Brothers and religious supervisors were often brutal but this was no less than the brutal, demented employers on whom their charges would be placed in a place of servitude, demanded.

Without a strict preparation for the world of work, Irish orphans would not have survived.

The Irish emigrants' world of the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s is not to be judged by contemporary standards. Ireland was wretchedly poor and its emigrants unwanted.

You won’t hear that on the BBC or RTE or other schmaltzy radio or TV news broadcasts or from a shoneen politician such as Mary Harney, Hugh Coveney, Leo Varadkar, Mervyn Taylor or Alan Shatter.

The motto of all right-thinking people in those situations? Spare the rod and spoil the child!