If you’re a company and you fire your workers then you are committing a “very grave sin,” says Pope Francis.
Speaking to his general audience on Wednesday, the Pope decided to intervene in economic affairs and provide his take on business practices. Every time he does, he shows his true jesuit (communist) ways.
He stated that if employers give their employees the pink slip for unclear reasons then they are committing a “very grave sin.” According to the Pope, all companies should instead give their staff members dignified work, or, as you can tell if you read between the lines, permanent employment.
“Those who for economic reasons or to conclude unclear negotiations, close factories and business ventures and take jobs away, this person is committing a very grave sin,” he said.
What if you can’t afford these workers anymore? What if regulatory burden has impacted corporate growth? What if workers are not providing any value to the company? What if productivity levels can be increased by incorporating automation into business models?
Moreover, Pope Francis should read this excellent piece by Mark Perry of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) entitled “Despite the focus on ‘jobism’, jobs are a cost of production and consumption, not a benefit, and should be minimized.”
Here is what he opines:
For example, if Congress outlawed the tractor and modern farm equipment tomorrow, it would create millions of new farming jobs. If Congress outlawed robotics and other advanced manufacturing processes tomorrow, it would create millions of new factory jobs. If Congress banned all imports tomorrow, it would create millions of US jobs in manufacturing, farming, and transportation industries. If Congress banned power tools and modern equipment for road building and construction, it would create millions of new US jobs.
The fundamental flaw of “jobism” that Professor McKenzie is pointing out that makes “jobism” a misguided public policy goal is that it treats jobs as a benefit, when in fact jobs are a cost or price of production and ultimately of consumption. It also fails to properly recognize that economic competitiveness and progress requires widespread job destruction. Further, job losses should be treated as a measure of great success, not failure, when a US industry like agriculture or manufacturing dramatically improves its productivity and is able to produce greater and greater levels of output over time with fewer and fewer workers.
Simply put: jobs are a price and, as the legendary free market economist Milton Friedman stated in a lecture in 1980, the ultimate goal is to have the fewest jobs possible.
Reportedly, the Pope delivered the comments as personnel at Sky Italia are facing job cuts and relocation because the company has decided to shift its offices from Rome to Milan.
The Pope continues to add his two cents to a wide array of topics:
Pope Francis advocates world central bank, warns loss of sovereignty
Literally Hitler! Pope Francis warns that populism may elect a new Adolf Hitler
What you can learn from Bill Gates, Donald Trump & Pope Francis about economics
5 random things for a Friday (jobs, the Pope and Ludwig von Mises)
Leave a Comment