Title: Putting First Things First: The Economic Vision of Father Vincent
    McNabb and the Distributists

By Mr. John Sharpe

He provides a detailed exploration of the Catholic economic and social theory known as Distributism, championed by figures like Father Vincent McNabb, G.K. Chesterton, and Hilaire Belloc. Mr. Sharp contrasts this vision with both capitalism and socialism, arguing for an economic system based on the widespread ownership of productive property by families. He traces the historical roots of this idea through various Catholic social movements in Europe, presenting it as a core part of the Church's social doctrine. The central argument is that economic life should be ordered towards man's ultimate spiritual end, not the accumulation of profit, which modern systems have inverted. Ultimately, Sharp advocates for a return to rural, faith-based communities as a practical way to begin implementing these principles in the modern world.

(From 2003 Conference)

File Size: 660 MB

This is a mp4 video file of this conference talk.