George Ceslaus Rutten

A Social Scientist

in the Service of the Workers

Social Theology

• Flanders 1875-1952• Combined study of social science & theology• 1900 doctorate on socialist action & strikes in

mines, where he worked• Supported by the Master, opposed by his

provincial• Inaugurated course on CST at Mechelen

seminary • First chair of CST at Louvain

Mining Experience

• PhD made empirical sociology acceptable to Catholic academia

• Social survey technique of ‘participant observation’:

“Before all else we wanted… to see the workers themselves, talking with tem in the pits, preferably

descending into the deepest mine shafts as well as the most damp & dark, becoming for even a few instants

turn by turn a digger, an extractor & hauling coal in order to allow the miners to feel comfortable with us. We

arrived slowly but surely to hear them talk openly about their complaints & the reasons for their strikes.”

Countering Socialism

• Need for employers to understand workers– socialism was growing because they did not

• Socialist workers’ movement successful as organised solidarity– Catholics had to offer an alternative structure

• Rutten promoted Christian workers’ movement within the Belgische Volksbond (Belgium Democratic League)

“The socialists have an undeniable advantage over us, thanks to the benefit of the spirit of solidarity among the workers which they gain by uniting them through

professional unions & co-operatives… The economic remedies & the social

institutions, such as they are, set up a fragile barrier against the flood of

socialism, without a moral force which can assure their efficiency & stability”

Corporations or Unions?

• Christian corporatism (George Helleputte)– invoked Rerum Novarum on right of association, for corporations– Graves de Communi: Christian democracy as Christian action

on behalf of the people– ‘mixed’ unions: employers & workers together– not ‘pure’ unions: promoting class struggle

• Rutten diplomatic:– brought diverse parties together– agreed with Graves de Communi definition of democracy– yet aimed to create an autonomous Catholic labour union

• 1904 founded workers’ union which became Syndicat général chrétien

• 1912 architect of AVC Federation of Christian Unions• 1921 founded Ligue des travailleurs chrétiens

Three Evils – Three Remedies

• 1905 popular study on Aquinas & Rerum Novarum– L’ordre social selon la doctrine de S. Thomas

d’Aquin et l’encclique Rerum novarum– identifies social evils of industrialisation as

pauperism, capitalism & socialism– remedies are emancipation of the working

class, workers’ unions, employment legislation

la promotion

• Empowerment of workers, especially education, was Rutten’s life project

• Social weeks from 1908 on French model• École Supérieure pour travailleurs

– founded in OP collaboration – for formation of worker leaders & organisers

• Manuel d’études et d’action sociale (1911) – aimed at young priests in social apostolate– appreciated by Belgian socialists

Parliamentarian

• Senator co-opted by Catholic Party 1921-46• Advisor:

– commissions on labour & teaching– helped improve laws on family benefits, worker health & safety,

co-operatives

• Mediator & conciliator: – impartial as co-opted, but not subject to party directives

• Represented Flemish interests to French-speakers– context where 2/3 of civil servants did not speak Flemish, unlike

most workers– campaigned for university education in Flemish, for Ghent– all judicial & administrative affairs should be in Flemish for the

Flemish