A Comment and Thoughts on 'The Bluff of the Big Shops'

Yesterday, I posted an essay on Distributism as I do every day at 12.00. It is entitled The Bluff of the Big Shops, and is a severe criticism of what GKC called 'big shops', but we would call 'big box stores' or 'super stores'. A reader commented, and I've replied. Since my reply points out something that I did not mention in the introduction, but that I consider a major part of the battle for sane economics based on the Social Teaching of Christ's Church, I thought I'd post it, rather than leaving it buried in the combox.

The comment:

+JMJ+

Brilliant. That's all I can say, after reading this.

Alas, most Catholics, perhaps particularly "Traditional" ones, would disagree. Sad.

AMDG
James

My reply:

James, the reason that most Catholics would disagree is that most Catholics have bought in to one of two condemned heresies. On the 'Novus Ordo left' you have probably a majority who accept some form of collectivist, state controlled economy. Small, independent shopkeepers, artisans, and farmers are anathema to that mindset.

On the 'conservative' or 'Traditional side, many, if not a majority, are equally devotees of laissez-faire economics, unfettered hyper-capitalism, and all the abuses associated with it. Therefore, those same small, independent shopkeepers, artisans, and farmers, are ridiculed as being 'inefficient', 'impeding progress', etc.

Both of these ideologies have been condemned by Rome by virtually every Pope from Blessed Pius IX onward. One of the reasons Musings of an old Curmudgeon exists is to promote Catholic Social Teaching as expounded by our Holy Fathers.