Social christianity and the social doctrine of the catholic church: cooperative law, s. XIX-XX

Abstract

Cooperativism emerged in Europe in the late 18th century as a collective response by the working class to the abuses of industrial capitalism, gaining momentum with milestones such as the Rochdale Cooperative (1844) and the founding of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in 1895. This article examines the decisive -though underexplored- role of social Christianity and the Catholic Church in spreading the cooperative model and its legal institutionalization in key countries like England and Germany. Special attention is given to the Spanish case, where the first general cooperative law was not enacted until 1931, despite efforts by Krausism and social Catholicism to promote cooperative legislation since the late 19th century. Through a historical analysis, the study highlights how Christian movements -both Protestant and Catholic-drove pioneering initiatives in France, England, and Germany, while their influence in Spain was delayed, linked to social Catholicism and figures such as the Jesuit Antonio Vicent. Additionally, it explores the shift in Catholic doctrine with the encyclicals Rerum Novarum (1891) and Quadragesimo Anno (1931), which legitimized workers' associations and critiqued economic liberalism, laying moral foundations for the welfare state. The study reveals how social Christianity and the Catholic Church were highly influential agents in the global expansion of cooperativism and its legal framework, combining pragmatic reformism with ethical principles.