Topic Keywords Flashcards
Alienation
A Marxist concept describing how workers become disconnected from their labor, themselves, and society under capitalism, leading to loss of self-worth and control.
Capitalism
An economic system where private individuals or corporations own the means of production, and profit is prioritized over social welfare, often leading to class divisions.
Centesimus Annus
A 1991 encyclical by Pope John Paul II marking 100 years since Rerum Novarum, reaffirming Catholic social teaching on human dignity, workers’ rights, and ethical concerns about capitalism and socialism.
Conscientisation
A term from Paulo Freire referring to the process of developing critical awareness of social injustice and oppression, leading to action for change.
Dehumanised
The process of stripping individuals or groups of their dignity and humanity, often through exploitation, oppression, or systemic injustice.
Exploitation
The unfair treatment of people, particularly workers, where their labor is used for profit with little regard for their well-being.
Feudal lords
Landowners in medieval feudalism who controlled land and had power over serfs, who worked the land in exchange for protection but had little freedom.
Kingdom of God
In Christian theology, the reign of God characterized by justice, peace, and love, often linked in Liberation Theology to social justice and the fight against oppression.
Liberation from sin
In Liberation Theology, this includes both personal sin (individual wrongdoing) and social sin (structural injustice), emphasizing freedom from oppressive systems.
Orthodoxy
Believing in the right thing
Orthopraxy
Doing the right thing
(Superior to Orthodoxy)
Preferential option for the poor
A key principle in Liberation Theology and Catholic Social Teaching, stating that the needs of the poor and marginalized should be prioritized in society and the Church’s mission.
Serfs
Peasants in the feudal system who worked the land of feudal lords in exchange for protection but were bound to their land with little personal freedom.
Spiritual poverty
A lack of faith, meaning, or connection to God, which contrasts with material poverty but is also seen as a form of suffering in Liberation Theology.
Socialism
An economic system advocating for collective or state ownership of resources and production, aiming to reduce class inequality and promote social justice.
Structural inequality
Systemic disparities in wealth, power, and opportunities, embedded in social, economic, and political institutions, disadvantaging certain groups.
Structural sin
The idea that sin is not just personal but also embedded in societal structures, leading to oppression and injustice (e.g., racism, poverty, exploitation).
Surplus
In economic terms, the excess value produced by workers beyond what they are paid, which in Marxist theory is taken by capitalists as profit (also called surplus value).
