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Centesimus Annus and China’s Market Economy: A Contextual Commentary
Gao, Zhe
Gao, Zhe
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Abstract
"This article intends to interpret Centesimus Annus, the encyclical written by Pope John Paul II in 1991, in the context of China’s reformation of the market economy since 1984. The central theme of Centesimus Annus centres on human freedom in its totality. More concretely, the Pope interprets this by offering a deliberate explication of the relationship between market economy, democratic politics, and human freedom. While standing by Rerum Novarum’s assertion of the right to private property and market economy, John Paul II also recognizes the importance of a democratic system and its values in promoting human dignity and freedom. On the other hand, China’s existing market economy could be described as crony capitalism, based on a combination of a market economy and an authoritarian political system. Reflecting on the viewpoints of the Pope expressed in the encyclical, this article maintains that the current reformation of the market economy in mainland China should focus on the area of the political system, that is, accelerating the establishment of a democratic system in order to increase people’s freedom and fostering creativity in the market, and it should also help to realize the telos of the common good."
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2013
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With permission of the license/copyright holder