Essay on Catholicism, Liberalism, and Socialism: Considered in Their Fundamental Principles

Everywhere today, many are asking if there is a way out of this political and ecclesiastical cesspool into which the whole world is slowly sinking. That is a fair question. The answer, we believe, lies in the understanding of what Juan Donoso Cortés brought forth in our 4th reprint of his famous work, Essay on Catholicism, Liberalism, and Socialism. In this book, he brings out the cause of the underlying sickness of modern civilization against which he reacted with horror. This sickness is understandable when seen as the result of the rupturing of the fundamental law of unity of the Church. When the heresies and errors of the world deny revelation and the supreme authority of God in the world, then we have what we have today: chaos in all segments of society and in every field, that is, in economics, medicine, education, etc. Tyranny, resulting ultimately from socialism, is the sad result of not following that Divine plan and order that had been elaborated and followed over the centuries by the Church. Indeed, this book is a book for our time, showing us where the answer is to our present world wide crisis. Many have hailed Donoso Cortés as a prophet. Perhaps he was because it seems that we are living out today what he foresaw back in 1851, when the book first appeared in Spanish. We have reprinted the original 1862 English edition with a new introduction by the late Dr. Wilhelmsen. This durable hardback sewn edition with an attractive dust jacket should provide for several readings, for indeed one should read and reread it to reflect upon the ideas contained therein.