Tomorrow and Tomorrow

Pope John Paul II kept on, in his dogged way, making a simple point on his trip to Brazil earlier this summer, yet it is a point which seems most difficult for persons on the religious Left and in the media to understand. This confusion, the most fundamental one of the twentieth century, concerns the meaning of Marxism.

As nearly as I can grasp it, here is the way well-meaning persons on the Left approach Marxism. (I am thinking in particular of two Maryknoll priests from an Eastern city, active in the worldwide campaign against multinational corporations.) “We are not Marxists,” they say. When they commend Marx, it is because of his “insights.” They give Marx credit for “seeing through” capitalism in all its works and all its pomps. They think he is right about some basic things, like the “class struggle” between “the oppressed” and oppressors like the multinational corporations. They think he is right about the selfishness inherent in private property and the profit motive. They think he is right about the dream of a cooperative, egalitarian, just, and fraternal society, for which “socialism” seems to be a more apt name than “capitalism.” Generally, they part company with Marx insofar as Marx leads to Stalin and the Soviet Union.

About the Author

Michael Novak

Michael Novak was a Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat.

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Pope John Paul II kept on, in his dogged way, making a simple point on his trip to Brazil earlier this summer, yet it is a point which seems most difficult for persons on the religious Left and in the media to understand. This confusion, the most fundamental one of the twentieth century, concerns the meaning of Marxism.

As nearly as I can grasp it, here is the way well-meaning persons on the Left approach Marxism. (I am thinking in particular of two Maryknoll priests from an Eastern city, active in the worldwide campaign against multinational corporations.) “We are not Marxists,” they say. When they commend Marx, it is because of his “insights.” They give Marx credit for “seeing through” capitalism in all its works and all its pomps. They think he is right about some basic things, like the “class struggle” between “the oppressed” and oppressors like the multinational corporations. They think he is right about the selfishness inherent in private property and the profit motive. They think he is right about the dream of a cooperative, egalitarian, just, and fraternal society, for which “socialism” seems to be a more apt name than “capitalism.” Generally, they part company with Marx insofar as Marx leads to Stalin and the Soviet Union.