To the left - my painting of Father Vincent McNabb O.P. (1868-1943) Father McNabb supported the movement called distributism, supported by Hilaire Belloc, G.K. Chesterton, and others. It differs from socialism because it strongly supports private property, but differs from capitalism, when it says that every family should have the property and means to support itself. He actively supported a group of families that moved back to the land at a place called Ditchling. Purloined snippets from the Words of Vincent McNabb, posted on this site. More about Vincent McNabb, O.P. Vincent McNabb on art Some more about distributivism Antoine Valentin has collected much material on distributism Antoine Valentindiscusses problems with distributism, but also solutions to the same problems. The Agrarian Foundation: very close in ideas to distributism. Miss DeMarco'sdistributism page. Anthony Cooney presents a History of Distributism. Richard Neuhaus of First Things discusses distributism. Defense of Distribuism in First Things John P. McCarthy on Hilaire Belloc's political views in the 1930s. More Links related to Distributism

Some of his ideas for a sound economic order:

The "flesh pots of Egypt", which must be given up, are to be left not for the milk and honey of Palestine but that the "people may go and worship God'." (Exodus 5.1.)

To cease to live in the town while continuing to live on the town may be serving Mammon rather than God; indeed may be serving Mammon under the guise of serving God.

The area of production should be as far as possible coterminous with the area of consumption. The utilitarians were wrong in saying that "things should be produced where they can be most economically produced". The true principle is: things should be produced where they can be most economically consumed.

Farmers should farm primarily for self-support. They should sell as little and buy as little as possible.

"Big" farming is mass production applied to the land. Agricultural mass production is based on the Market, depends upon Transport and, together with these, is controlled by Finance.

A man's state is not measured by his wealth; but a man's wealth is measured by his state. Hence, as state is social position based on social service, it follows that a man's wealth is measured by his social service.

The Divine Right of Property means, not that some men shall have all property, but that all men shall have some property.

The natural defence of Freedom is the Home; and the natural defence of the Home is the Homestead. The Family, not the Individual, is the unit of the nation. As Political Economy is the child of Domestic Economy, all laws that weaken the Home weaken the nation.

There are only Things and Tokens. The worldwide economic crisis, if it exists, is a dearth of things, not tokens. Now a dearth of things cannot be met by the creation or redistribution of tokens. A dearth of things can be met only by a creation or redistribution of things.

Derived from "Father Vincent McNabb, O.P.", (Burns and Oates, London, 1955), by Ferdinand Valentine, O.P. p. 144. Fr. Valentine is citing "Francis Thompson and other Essays" p. 74 (no bibliographical information available on this work.).

- that true and sound capitalism must place proper value on the natural environment.

Some material on McNabb and Distributism posted on this site

Towards Social Thinking: While not a Socialist or a supporter thereof, McNabb responds to a writer who thinks that Socialists should be refused absolution because they support secularisation of education, contribute to the demise of family life, and are opposed to private property. His response is that these things are promoted by all political parties. Nazareth or Social Chaos: substantial excerpts from a book written in 1933, where in McNabb says that many problems come from the fictions of an economy based on tokens rather than real goods. He draws much from the thought of Aquinas here.

Some more links to McNabb and material related to Distributism Many thanks to Fr. Louis Durell, a regular visitor, for these links.

Distributism Third Way - The Radical Center! Third Way (3W) Jobs of Our Own: A Distributist Future for Australia Seven Keys to a Christian Home Hilaire Belloc - Preface to Church and Philosophy PCP Books Part 25 - some books by Hilaire Belloc and others. Serving the Poor: Mark and Louise Zwick Roots of the Movement: Distributism;:Ownership of the Means of Production and the Brutal Global Market The Houston Catholic Worker, a Publication of Casa Juan Diego Resurgence - Contents issue 198 Resurgence Magazine On-line Aqua et Ignis: Archives Ends and Means e-journal of the CPTS Catholic Worker Home Page OCA Diocese of New York & New Jersey :: Jacob's Well Resurgence Magazine Online - Index of Articles Natural Capitalism-Creating the Next Industrial Revolution