Distributism as the way out

Abstract

Background: English distributism, the economic system presented as the alternative to capitalism and socialism (communism), is currently a topic that enjoys growing popularity. At the same time, the available amount of data on the subject leaves much to be desired, especially in Poland. In the realm of the Polish publishing market, the accessibility of sources addressing/discussing/ detailing distributism, as well as studies describing the system remains very limited. The gap in this area is now being partially filled by the first translation of the work The Way Out, published in chapters in 1938 by Hilaire Belloc, who, along with Gilbert Keith Chesterton, is considered a key figure in the development of the doctrine of distributism. The presented Polish translation by Andrzej Ziółkowski is an opportunity for an introductory reflection on the subject.

Research purpose: One purpose of this introduction is to outline the context of the translated work: firstly through the historical perspective presenting Hilaire Belloc, his collaboration with Gilbert Keith Chesterton, and the entire English distributist movement; secondly by expounding the basic doctrinal characteristics of distributism itself. The other intention is to reconstruct the unique features of The Way Out (compared to the entirety of the available works constituting the concept), as well as to determine the significance of the work – not only for the studied doctrine as such but also for the development of contemporary political, legal and systemic thought.

Methods: The research uses historical-descriptive and comparative methods. In the historical part, numerous studies in English and Polish are referenced; in the doctrinal segment, primarily the works of Belloc are used, (apart from the translated text of The Way Out) in the form of the original English editions.

Conclusions: The final conclusion of this introductory analysis is to picture The Way Out as a work that not only is important for the doctrine of distributism – but also in many ways can be seen as a summary or even a crowning achievement of the efforts of the whole movement that aimed to develop a proper economic system. At the same time, the conducted research allows to make a justified assumption that the translated treatise can be a source of inspiration for the contemporary legislator – as long as the goal of the widest possible distribution of private property and economic freedom remains in the scope of the desired results.