Distributists

Distributism is an economic philosophy that advocates for widespread ownership of the means of production, rather than concentrating ownership in the hands of a few capitalists (capitalism) or the state (socialism). It emphasizes the creation and maintenance of a society of small, independent owners, such as family farms, small businesses, and artisan workshops. The core idea is that private property is a natural right, and its ownership should be as broadly distributed as possible to ensure individual liberty and economic justice.

Distributism emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, largely influenced by Catholic social teaching. Prominent proponents include G.K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc, who developed its principles in works like "The Outline of Sanity" and "An Essay on the Restoration of Property." They argued that both capitalism and socialism lead to the same result: the proletariat, or the propertyless class, being dependent on either the capitalist class or the state. Distributism seeks to avoid this by creating a "proprietariat," a class of people who own their own means of production.

Key principles of distributism include the primacy of the family, the importance of local communities, and the belief that economic activity should serve human flourishing rather than simply profit maximization. It favors decentralized economic structures and encourages cooperative forms of ownership. While it is often associated with Catholic thought, its principles are not exclusively religious and can be found in various secular movements advocating for economic democracy and small-scale ownership. Distributists often propose policies such as preferential taxation for small businesses, antitrust regulations to prevent monopolies, and support for worker cooperatives.