Public Life
Just as Ryan’s economic thought was guided by a commitment to moral theology, his political action was inextricably connected to his religious beliefs. Though Ryan was primarily an intellectual and moral theologian, his deep conviction that the church had a proper role to play in public affairs led him to maintain a consistent engagement in American politics throughout his lifetime. Ryan avoided political labels such as “liberal” or “conservative,” but eventually settled on “papalist” to describe his public position, meaning “an orthodox commitment to the Holy See.” Ryan viewed the proper role of the state as the active promotion of the common good only to the extent that it cannot be realized through the family or voluntary associations. Ryan was among the earliest advocates of minimum wage laws in the United States.
Read more about this topic: John A. Ryan
Famous quotes related to public life:
“These studies which stimulate the young, divert the old, are an ornament in prosperity and a refuge and comfort in adversity; they delight us at home, are no impediment in public life, keep us company at night, in our travels, and whenever we retire to the country.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)
“He who doesn’t know how to be a servant should never be allowed to be a master; the interests of public life are alien to anyone who is unable to enjoy others’ successes, and such a person should never be entrusted with public affairs.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“Bryan is the least of a liar I know in public life. I have always found him direct and honest, and he never goes back on what he has said to me in private—a rare thing, if found, in public men. I found him purely frank.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)