Social democrats believed that capitalism could be reformed and made to work for the benefit of all members of society and that such improvements could be achieved through democratic elections and reform.
Many prominent leaders of the early social democracy movement in Germany were members of the Catholic Church’s Social Union movement, which emphasized the dignity of workers and their families. It supported the interests of workers being collectively represented by organized trade unions. The German social Catholics would also support a social welfare state that included government-funded health care for all families as well as support for labor unions that included all workers.
In the same way, progressive members of the Anglican Church in Great Britain were among the early reformers of industrial capitalism, and they shared many aims with the German social democrats.
The ethical or moral basis for the rise of social democracy comes from Judeo-Christian theology concerning charity and the welfare of fellow humans. In this view, the suffering of humans, whatever its cause, requires us to try to alleviate that suffering. To some religious thinkers, permitting the continuation of suffering among one’s fellow human souls could be considered immoral and sinful.
Source credit: Edward Stuart, PhD, Professor of Economics, Northeastern Illinois University
Many prominent leaders of the early social democracy movement in Germany were members of the Catholic Church’s Social Union movement, which emphasized the dignity of workers and their families. It supported the interests of workers being collectively represented by organized trade unions. The German social Catholics would also support a social welfare state that included government-funded health care for all families as well as support for labor unions that included all workers.
In the same way, progressive members of the Anglican Church in Great Britain were among the early reformers of industrial capitalism, and they shared many aims with the German social democrats.
The ethical or moral basis for the rise of social democracy comes from Judeo-Christian theology concerning charity and the welfare of fellow humans. In this view, the suffering of humans, whatever its cause, requires us to try to alleviate that suffering. To some religious thinkers, permitting the continuation of suffering among one’s fellow human souls could be considered immoral and sinful.
Source credit: Edward Stuart, PhD, Professor of Economics, Northeastern Illinois University