The ‘new things’ of Pope Leo XIII's time are no longer so today in Europe, North America and certain regions of Asia, however they still are in several developing countries and even in parts of the developed world where the worker is not primarily considered as a subject of rights and duties but as a part of the production system.

The value of Rerum Novarum in its time

Published on May 15^th 1891 by Pope Leo XIII, the encyclical Rerum Novarum (literally ‘New Things’) marks a major turning point in the history of the Catholic Church. It was the founding text of the Church's social doctrine, addressing for the first time in a systematic way the social and economic issues linked to the growing industrialisation of society.

At the end of the 19^th century, Europe was in the midst of an industrial revolution: workers' working conditions were often precarious, wages very low and working days too long. Faced with this situation, two ideologies dominated the social debate: economic liberalism, advocating ‘laissez-faire’, and socialism, calling for the collectivisation of the means of production. Leo XIII rejected both extremes. He criticised unbridled capitalism for its exploitation of workers, while condemning socialism for its denial of the right to private property.

So Rerum Novarum affirms several fundamental principles:

• The right to private property, considered natural and necessary to human dignity.
• The right of the worker to a just wage, sufficient to meet the needs of his family.
• The right of workers to form trade unions to defend their interests.
• The state’s responsibility to regulate working conditions and protect the weakest.

By proposing a ‘third way’ between liberal capitalism and socialism, the encyclical offered a Christian response to the social challenges of its time. It inspired the creation of Christian trade unions and influenced social legislation in several European countries.

The significance of Rerum Novarum for Pope Leo XIII

For Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum was not only a response to the social problems of his time, but also an affirmation of the Church’s role in the modern world. By addressing economic and social issues, the Pope broke with a tradition of the Church's withdrawal from temporal affairs. He affirmed that the Church had a duty to enlighten society on the path towards justice and peace, based on the principles of the Christian faith.

Leo XIII also saw the social question as an area where the Church was called to reconnect with the working classes, who were often estranged from the faith because of the exploitation they suffered. By taking a stand in favour of workers, he sought to show that the Church was on the side of the oppressed and working for a more just social order.

The encyclical finally reflected the Pope's personal vision, influenced by his experiences as Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium, where he observed the effects of industrialisation on the working class. He understood that the Church had to be open to the ‘new things’ of its time if it was to remain relevant and faithful to its evangelical mission.

In short, for Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum was an act of courage and faith, laying the foundations of a Catholic social doctrine that continues to influence the thinking and action of the Church to this day.

How Rerum Novarum can inspire Pope Leo XIV

Let's imagine that Pope Leo XIII was elected today with the name of Pope Leo XIV: how would Rerum Novarum inspire his pontificate? Here are some key points:

1-. Rethinking Social Justice in the 21^st century. Rerum Novarum was a prophetic response to the social challenges of the 19^th century. In the same way, Pope Leo XIV could draw inspiration from it to confront new forms of injustice:

• Precarity of digital workers (Uberization, precarious contracts).
• North-South inequalities amplified by globalisation.
• Exploitation of resources and ecological crisis linked to unbridled capitalism.

It could therefore update the message by stressing the dignity of human labour in the face of automation and purely financial considerations.

2-. Defend the centrality of the human person. As Leo XIII did in his time, Leo XIV could recall that:

• The economy must be at the service of persons, and not the other way round.
• An economy ‘with a human face’ must be promoted where the weakest (migrants, the poor, the excluded) have their place.

He would thus build ‘a bridge’ - one of his already announced programmatic lines -, between Leo XIII and Pope Francis, to link all the Rerum Novarum and Fratelli Tutti richness to the current concepts of the circular economy, happy sobriety and decent work for all.

3-. Encourage modern forms of solidarity

Rerum Novarum supported the formation of Christian trade unions to defend workers.

Today, Leo XIV could promote:

• Social and solidarity-based cooperatives.
• New forms of local and global associative commitment;
• Digital technology as a tool for mutual aid (solidarity-based platforms).

In this way, it would put the emphasis back on subsidiarity: encouraging local initiatives before the intervention of large structures. Here again, he would be reconnecting the inspirations of Leo XIII with those of Pope Francis on social movements, on the inter-connectivity between all levels of society and the interdependence between political, social and economic life.

4-. A prophetic voice in the face of dehumanised capitalism

Leo XIII dared to criticise unbridled capitalism. Leo XIV could denounce:

• The excessive power of multinationals.
• The financial speculation detached from the real economy.
• The global indifference to new forms of slavery (forced labour, exploitation of children, human trafficking).

He would thus become the voice of humanity reminding us of the Corporations’ ethical and social responsibility.

5-. Linking ecology and social justice (integral ecology)

In line with Laudato sì, Leo XIV could draw inspiration from Rerum Novarum to illuminate

• The connections between the social crisis and the ecological crisis;
• The interdependence between protecting human dignity and caring for the planet, our one common home.

Without attributing to him what he has not yet announced, this seems to be the significance of his name choice as the inspiration for his pontificate: a renewed social doctrine for today's world, a richness long absent from Church's preaching that Pope Leo XIV has already made clear he intends offer to modern society.