translated from Spanish: Pope: capitalism has failed in the face of the virus, it must be reformed

Francis raised his vision for a postCOVID world on Sunday by joining the key elements of his social teachings into a new encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti” (“Brothers All”), published in the holiday of the saint of the one who took the name, the pacifist St Francis of Asses.In the text, Francis even rejected the doctrine of the Catholic Church justifying war as a means of self-defense , stating that it has been applied too broadly for centuries and is no longer viable.” Today it is very difficult to invoke the rational criteria developed in centuries past to talk about the possibility of a ‘just war’,’ Francis wrote in the most controversial part of the new encyclical. Francis had begun to write the encyclical, the third of his pontificate, before the coronavirus pandemic was unscathed, playing from the global economy to everyday life. However, he noted that the pandemic had confirmed its belief that current economic and political institutions must be reformed to meet the legitimate needs of people most affected by the pandemic.” Apart from the different ways in which the various countries responded to the crisis, their inability to work together became quite evident,” Francis said. “Anyone who thinks that the only lesson you can learn is the need to improve what we were already doing, or refine existing systems and regulations, is denying reality.” The pope condemned populist politics that seeks to demonize and isolate and called for a “culture of encounter” that fosters dialogue, solidarity and a sincere effort to seek the common good. In this sense, Francis reiterated his criticism of the “perverse” global economic system, claiming that it keeps the poor on the margins while enriching a few. Francis rejected the concept of absolute right to property for individuals, insisting on the criteria of “social purpose” and the common good they should govern when sharing Earth’s resources.Francis again rejected the economic theory of “drip effect,” as he did in 2013 in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), his first mission statement as pope , indicating that it simply does not have the effect it claims to have.” Neoliberalism is simply reproduced using magical theories of ‘spill’ or ‘drip’, without using that name, as the only solution to society’s problems,” he wrote. “Little attention is paid to the fact that the so-called ‘spill’ does not solve the inequality that gives rise to new forms of violence that threaten the fabric of society.” The title of the encyclical has provoked controversy in English-speaking countries, as critical voices point out that an accurate translation of the word “fratelli” (brothers) excludes women. The Vatican has insisted that the plural form of the word is inclusive and that by its very nature, the document includes women.

Original source in Spanish