Distributism

"If we do not restore the institution of property, we cannot escape restoring the institution of slavery; there is no third course."

Hilaire Belloc

Distributism is a non-quadrant, third positionist, free market economic system whose classic version is a culturally right-wing ideology, inhabiting a moderate position in the Authoritarian Left quadrant of the Political Compass. It asserts that the world's productive assets should be widely owned rather than concentrated.

It is based on the Catholic social teachings, particularly the encyclicals of Popes Leo XIII and, to a lesser extent, Pius XI, and was developed into a more concrete ideology by Catholics in the 20th century, primarily Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton.

Etymology

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History

It all started back in 1891 with publication of Pope Leo XIII's papal encyclical, Rerum novarum. The piece discusses the conditions of the contemporary working class and supported the rights of labor to form unions, reaffirmed the right to private property, and criticized both the problems of socialism as it rose to prominence and the problems of unrestricted capitalism which were all too well known in his time. His Holiness set up the bedrock foundations of distributism, but English writer G. K. Chesterton and Anglo-French politician and philosopher Hilaire Belloc, after drawing together the disparate experiences of the various cooperatives and friendly societies in Northern England, Ireland, and Northern Europe, turned distributism into a more coherent and concrete ideology, with works ranging from basic economics through the distributist lens (Economics for Helen) to what makes property special (An Essay on the Restoration of Property) to the importance of decentralization in governmental institutions and productive property (The Servile State) to just summaries of the concepts alone (Outline of Sanity).

Influenced by

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Foreign Influence

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Proto-

(shows of a version of the ideology before it fully came to being i.e. the societal priming for the creation of the ideology)

Creation/Origin

(the actual creation of the ideology)

General History 1

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General History 2

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General History etc

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Peak

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General History 3

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General History 4

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General History etc

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Downfall

(this section is about the eventual downfall of the ideology and what has caused this downfall)

Modern

(how the ideology is doing in the modern day and what its current standing as a movement is)

Influenced

(which ideologies this ideology has influenced and how it influenced them)

Examples

IRL Examples

(irl examples of the actual ideology happening in real life)

Fictional Examples

(fictional examples of the ideology happening in fiction)

Comparisons

parallels to insert ideology

(similar ideologies to the ideology and the parallels it has)

parallels to insert movement

(similar movements to the ideology and the parallels it has)

Intellectuals

Intellectual etc.

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Foundations and Beliefs

Tenets

Distributism can be defined by four major tenets, which all distributists agree are necessarily distributist:

• Widespread ownership of property: Workers should be owners and businesses should be comprised of worker co-operatives, family businesses, or ESOP-based traditional businesses whenever possible and that people should own both their own personal private property as well as maintain some kind of ownership of private productive property whenever possible.
  • The control of the production of wealth is the control of human life itself. - Hilaire Belloc

• Anti-Trust Legislation: Large businesses must be broken up into smaller, more local businesses whenever possible.
  • The problem with capitalism is not that there are too many capitalists but too few. - G.K. Chesterton
• The Principle of the Subsidiarity: The government should never intervene in cases where a lower level of government (down to, and including, the individual, who governs himself) would be able to fix the issue. In short, if problem cannot be solved by level X, it goes to be solved by level (X + 1) and so on. This is also called "stratification of the federal government" or sometimes just "decentralization".
  • Civil society exists for the common good, and hence is concerned with the interests of all in general, albeit with individual interests also in their due place and degree. It is therefore called a public society, because by its agency, as St. Thomas of Aquinas says, “Men establish relations in common with one another in the setting up of a commonwealth.” - Pope Leo XIII

• The Indivisible Unit: The smallest social unit is the family, not the individual as in capitalism. This means that laws must be considered with the full thought of the familial consequences as well as that laws must provide for family units rather than individuals because distributism recognizes that an individual is a part of the larger collective of his family and that what happens to him affects the family.
  • Hence we have the family, the “society” of a man’s house — a society very small, one must admit, but none the less a true society, and one older than any State. Consequently, it has rights and duties peculiar to itself which are quite independent of the State. - Pope Leo XIII

Theory/Belief 1

(a belief or theory the ideology holds)

Theory/Belief 2

(a belief or theory the ideology holds)

Theory/Belief etc

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Framework

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Misc

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Variants

Internal conflicts in ideology

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Factions in Ideology

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Sub-Ideologies

Sub-Ideology 1

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Sub-Ideology 2

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Sub-Ideology etc

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Schools of Thought

Social Distributism

Flag of Social Distributism

Social Distributism, or SocDist, sometimes mistakenly referred to as Left Distributism is an economically center-left to left-wing and culturally variable ideology that combines stances from Distributism and Social Democracy or Paternalistic Conservatism. Social Distributism advocates mostly pursue and advocate for the core Distributist principles of widespread ownership of productive property, subsidiarity, and a preference for small-scale enterprise in the context of a well-regulated market economy with a robust and sustainable welfare state.

Social Distributism essentially represents the left wing of the broader Distributist movement, encompassing tendencies that seek to achieve a socialist-oriented form of Distributism through significantly greater state intervention than classical Distributism usually implies. This can range from moderate positions that simply add a generous welfare state, workers’ cooperatives, and strong anti-monopoly measures on top of the traditional Distributist toolkit, to more radical variants that incorporate elements of market socialism, syndicalism, or democratic socialism while retaining a commitment to decentralised ownership and opposition to both corporate capitalism and fully nationalized state socialism.

National Distributism

Flag of National Distributism

National Distributism, abbreviated as NazDist or NatDist, is a civically variable, culturally variable (but usually right-wing), economically center-left to far-left, nationalist, and third positionist ideology which blends Distributism with some variety of Nationalism.

National Distributism believes that the ideal of a economy of small producers is the one best equipped to serve the nation. In most versions of National Distributism, the economy would be a mixed system in which the vast majority of production, retail, and services are carried out either by small privately-owned family businesses (farms, shops, trades, workshops, with every family owning its own home and a productive plot of land) or by worker-owned co-operatives (where factories, offices, and larger enterprises are handed over to the workforce that runs them on a one-worker-one-share basis). Occupational guilds, or corporations, for each trade and profession own or oversee the co-operatives in their sector, license and support small private producers, prevent the re-emergence of monopolies through regulation and assistance, and negotiate wages, prices, standards, and output levels via joint worker-owner councils within the guild; delegates from these guilds form a national guild congress that replaces parliament as the main economic decision-making body.

Techno-Distributism

Techno-Distributism is the combination of Distributism with technologies and automation.

Dark Distributism

Dark Distributism is a theoretical variant of Distributism that merges its core principles of widespread ownership of productive assets and economic decentralization with the ideas of Neoreactionarism (NRx) or the Dark Enlightenment . This synthesis emphasizes a hierarchical social order, rejection of egalitarian democracy, and a return to traditional authority structures, such as monarchy or sovereign corporations, while maintaining distributist economics to prevent concentrations of power in both state and capitalist hands. It often incorporates elements of technological accelerationism, cultural conservatism, and anti-progressive critiques, viewing modern liberal democracy as a degenerative force. Proponents might argue for a "Patchwork" of small, autonomous distributist communities governed by exit-based systems rather than voice-based democracy, ensuring stability through strong leadership and inherited property rights.

School of Thought etc

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Regional Tendencies

The Mondragón Corporation

In 1941, a young Catholic priest named José María Arizmendiarrieta settled in Mondragón, a Basque town with a population of 7,000 that had not yet recovered from the consequences of the Spanish Civil War. Fr. José saw to the solution to these problems lay in the pages of Rerum novarum and other distributist authors. In 1955, he selected five young people to set up the first company of the co-operative and industrial beginning of the Mondragón Corporation. The corporation has grown to an organization that employs over 100,000 people in Spain, has extensive international holdings.

Regional Tendency 2

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Regional Tendency etc

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Personality and Behaviour

Distributism is often portrayed as a devout Catholic. He may be seen wearing a rosary or calling the Pope based. However, it's not necessary to be a Catholic, or even a Christian, to follow Distributism, it's just a call back to its origins/roots in Catholic doctrine and the works of Catholics who helped to define the movement. While he's not prone to violence, he does get rather mad when someone calls him a "Catholic socialist." Distributism is best friends with Agrarianism, Longism, Georgism, and Mutualism who are often in comics with each other, especially calling out the false dichotomy of capitalism vs socialism. He is often seen trying to find common ground with other ideologies, often successfully (subsidiarity with libertarians, co-ops with market socialists, etc.). Distributism likes LOVES the works of J. R. R. Tolkien.

Distributionism also has split personalities like Tridemism and Pancasila.

How it acts

(how the ideology reacts to other ideologies generally)

Aesthetics

(the general aesthetics of the ideology)

Stylistic Notes

(generally small facts about the ideologies behaviour or looks)

How to draw

Symbols

(symbols the ideology has)

Flags

Flag of Distributism

Props

(props the ideology often has)

Drawing

Drawing Distributism is rather complicated, its flag is based on a design posted on Reddit by a now deleted account:

1. Draw a ball
2. Draw a line in orange (#FC8922) vertically on the leftmost third and fill it in.
3. Fill in the rest of the ball with orange-yellow (#FCC52B)
4. Draw a dog in grey (#B0B4BC) carrying a torch (#898E95) with the flames stretching leftwards in deep red (#9D1D25). This can be as detailed or as vague as you want; we can't all be Van Gogh.
5. Add the eyes, and you're done!

Color Name		HEX	RGB
	Orange	#FC8922	rgb(252, 137, 34)
	Orange-Yellow	#FCC52B	rgb(252, 197, 43)
	Grey	#B0B4BC	rgb(176, 180, 188)
	Slightly Darker Grey	#898E95	rgb(137, 142, 149)
	Deep Red	#9D1D25	rgb(157, 29, 37)

Alternate Designs

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Variation Designs

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Relationships

Friends

• Catholic Theocracy - Thanks to Pope Leo XIII for providing my ideological basis.
• Christian Democracy - My more moderate brother. You have done well.
• Agrarianism - My neighbor in all things.
• Longism - EVERY MAN A KING AND NO ONE WEARS A CROWN!
• Paternalistic Conservatism - Finally, someone who gets it!
• Conservative Socialism - Another cool guy, if a bit extreme at times.
• Market Socialism - Read different books, but came to nearly the same conclusion. Co-ops rock
• Tolkienism - This video and anything J. R. R. Tolkien ever wrote on politics.
• Guild Socialism - You're pretty cool, basically the modern iteration of the medieval guild system. But I'm not a socialist.
• Corporatism - Fellow traditional economic system, like me, but more centralized and regulationist.
• Georgism - Despite our initial setbacks, we have become the best of friends & allies in the fight against the concentrated ownership of land.
• Monarcho-Distributism - My monarchist child. Both Belloc and Tolkien were based in their way.
• National Distributism - My illiberal democratic nationalist child. You are what the Conservatives and Nationalists need instead of him.
• National Democracy - You are great ally from Poland! I especially like the "young faction".
• Conservative Feminism & Religious Feminism - These lovely ladies get what I mean, best feminists.
• Theodemocracy - “And it shall come to pass, that after they are laid before the bishop of my church, and after that he has received these testimonies concerning the consecration of the properties of my church, that they cannot be taken from the church, agreeable to my commandments, every man shall be made accountable unto me, a steward over his own property, or that which he has received by consecration, as much as is sufficient for himself and family⁠.” - Doctrine & Covenants 42:32

Frenemies

• Socialism - Workers owning the means of production is nice, but we shouldn't abolish the entirety of private property to do that. Not to mention I believe markets are nice.
• Catholic Socialism - Erm, you do realize the Church condemned you, right? I mean, he has good ideas even if he is oxymoronic.
• Mutualism - Love u buddy, but get a government (and find Jesus too).
• Libertarian Socialism - Same as the previous guy, but less friendly to markets.
• Reactionary Socialism - I am not you! Some good ideas though.
• Social Democracy - Has the right ideas about combining markets and re-distributive policies to create a more humane economy, but his centralized execution tends to the symptoms rather than the cause.
• Capitalism - "Too much capitalism does not mean too many capitalists, but too few capitalists." - G.K. Chesterton
• Techno-Distributism - My Transhumanist child, good for not being as materialistic as him, but I'm still skeptical of some of your ideas.
• Libertarianism - Has good ideas about decentralization, but his economic ideas lead to exploitation and derangement.
• Social Libertarianism - Progressive values? ECH! Besides that you're pretty ok.
• Anarcho-Distributism - My weird daughter. The state is a good thing, gosh darnit!
• Conservative Liberalism & Libertarian Conservatism - Based social ideas, but your economic ideas lead to the exploitation of and disenfranchisement of workers, leading to cultural liberalism. I am the key to what you want!
• Integralism - I also understand present-day liberalism is a shame, but I doubt bringing back the old order wholesale is going to result in a net improvement.
• Fascism - Godless tyrant, but Bombacci seems to follow my nationalist variant.
• Social Distributism - Socialism is not the end of which that I am the means. Tone down the "Social" part and you'll be good. Stop Hanging out with him

Enemies

• Nazism & Marxism–Leninism - Godless tyrants.
• Strasserism - I do not know why you are seen as "good" or "better" than him . You are literally the same ideology, you just have a different emphasis.
• Neoliberalism - Absolutely awful idea.
• State Liberalism - Free-market capitalism AND pushing individualist propaganda? Exploitation! Destruction of families! Degeneracy! You sound like the devil himself!
• Satanic Theocracy - And you are the devil himself!
• State Atheism - Godless tyrant that will burn. Also, stop confusing me with him!
• Plutocracy and Corporatocracy - My arch-enemies! They stand in the way of the widespread ownership of wealth.
• State Socialism and State Capitalism - My other arch-enemies. Concentration of wealth in the hands of government bureaucracy is still concentration!
• Radical Feminism - Oh... Listen here young angry lady, family values are important for maintaining society, and without them society will be a chaotic mess just like how Satan intended. And your "Political Lesbianism" with male fetus abortions is a disgusting act of Lilith's nature, which is very demonic and vile. You villainize men as a group and that is not healthy. You are the sin of Eve on steroids!
• Manosphere - Listen here, boy! You give masculinity and the patriarchy a bad wrap. It's supposed to be about servitude and honor but you are effeminate, entitled and absolutely dishonorable. Remember that your worth is not measured by your "status" or "money" and treating women like objects or wild animals. Your honor is fulfilled by the role of a good husband and diligent father, or by celibacy. You are the sin of Adam still present to this day!
• Men's Liberation - You're even worse than the guy above. While he was simply misguided on what masculinity should be, you want to abolish the concept of masculinity entirely!
• Reactionary Liberalism - The definition of an oxymoron. When will you understand that the free market you embrace dilutes and erodes the traditional values you claim to cherish?

Bibliography

Literature

Primary Literature

Pope Leo XIII

• Rerum novarum - Pope Leo XIII's thoughts on the exploitation of working class people by socialism and capitalism

G.K. Chesterton

• The Outline of Sanity
• Utopia of Usurers

Hilaire Belloc

• The Servile State
• Economics for Helen

Collection of Literature

• Toward a Truly Free Market: A Distributist Perspective on the Role of Government, Taxes, Health Care, Deficits, and More by John C. Médaille
• Unlocking Existentialism In An Economy: Southern Distributism in a Nutshell by Kyle J. Ewart

Secondary Literature

(here goes a list of literature by people outside of the movement about the movement)

Periodicals

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News

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Mainstream News

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Interviews

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Quotes

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Further Reading

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Misc Texts

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Further Information

(here would be a list of similar movements with pcb articles check out CyberFeminism as a good example)

Websites

National Distributist Party
The Distributist Review

Wikipedia

• Distributism
• G. K. Chesterton
• Hilaire Belloc

Online Communities

(here go online communities of the movement)

Subreddits

• r/distributism

Texts

What is Distributism Written by National Distributist Party
Ten Books Every Distributist Should Own Written by National Distributist Party and DR. JOSEPH KAISER
History of Distributism - Global Distributists NationalDistributist Manifesto

Videos

• A short video
• Distributism 101 with John Médaille
• Building an Ownership Economy Video Series - A secular look at the worldview, philosophy and economics of Distributism

People

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Organizations

Political Parties

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Groups

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Misc

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See also

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Gallery

Comics

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  The Distributist family.
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  Distributism and his friends.
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  By bonepennies

Portraits

(here go portraits of the ideology in a check out CyberFeminism as a example)

Portraits of Variants

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  Social Distributism
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  Social Distributism

Portraits of Alternate Designs

(here go portraits of the alternate designs of the ideology)

Compasses

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  Distributist Compass