Populorum Progressio (1967)

As a former Catholic, I'm a bit confused as to why this is here. It's interesting as a primary historical document, but probably only for historians.

There's a lot of platitude around reduction of suffering, alongside some strange rhetoric about the benefits of colonialism. I also laugh every time the Catholic Church preaches anti-materialist values, given it's massive and ostentatious wealth.

There's some good stuff about the dangers of unbridled growth though.

>> [...] seeking a larger share in the benefits of civilization and a more active improvement of their human qualities; of those who are consciously striving for fuller growth.

That’s going on my resume.

> It is not enough to increase the general fund of wealth and then distribute it more fairly. It is not enough to develop technology so that the earth may become a more suitable living place for human beings. The mistakes of those who led the way should help those now on the road to development to avoid certain dangers. The reign of technology — technocracy, as it is called — can cause as much harm to the world of tomorrow as liberalism did to the world of yesteryear. Economics and technology are meaningless if they do not benefit man, for it is he they are to serve. Man is truly human only if he is the master of his own actions and the judge of their worth, only if he is the architect of his own progress. He must act according to his God-given nature, freely accepting its potentials and its claims upon him.

> Self-development, however, is not left up to man's option. Just as the whole of creation is ordered toward its Creator, so too the rational creature should of his own accord direct his life to God, the first truth and the highest good. Thus human self-fulfillment may be said to sum up our obligations.

Malum malum quod exspoliavit dolium