Nobility and analogous traditional elites in the allocutions of Pius XII : a theme illuminating American social history

Since the eighteenth century, generations have been schooled in utopian principles proclaiming total equality as the guarantor of liberty and justice for all. The egalitarian myth of a classless society was proffered as the unquestionable path down which mankind must travel to reach perfect social harmony. This book does much to shatter these myths and provide a Catholic approach to the way society should be structured as seen by the Popes. * * * Pope Pius XII extols hereditary nobility (ref:0.268): > One certainly cannot deny the existence of a material substratum in the transmission of hereditary characteristics; to be surprised at this one would have to forget the intimate union of our soul with our body, and in what great measure our most spiritual activities are themselves dependent upon our physical temperament. For this reason Christian morality never forgets to remind parents of the great responsibilities resting on their shoulders in this regard. Explores The Role Of The Nobility And Analogous Traditional Elites In Contemporary Society. Part I -- Resolving Prior Objections -- The Universal Scope Of The Allocutions To The Roman Patriciate And Nobility -- The People And The Masses, Liberty And Equality: Wholesome Versus Revolutionary Concepts In A Democratic Regime -- Nobility In A Christian Society The Perennial Character Of Its Mission And Its Prestige In The Contemporary World -- Elites, Natural Order, Family, And Tradition -- Aristocratic Institutions Within Democracies -- The Meaningful Contribution Of The Nobility And Traditional Elites To The Solution Of The Contemporary Crisis -- Genesis Of The Nobility Its Past And Present Mission -- At The Apogee Of Today's Religious, Moral, And Ideological Crisis: A Propitious Moment For The Action Of The Nobility And The Traditional Elites -- Part Ii -- Social Stratification In The United States -- Authentic And Inauthentic Elites -- Sentimentalism: An Explanation For The Egalitarian Mentality -- The Juridical-social Structure Of Colonization --^ The Formation Of A Colonial Aristocracy In Various Regions -- The American Revolution, Independence, And The Constitution -- The Republic Up To The Civil War -- The Elites After The Civil War -- Traditional Elites In Contemporary America -- Lifting Our Gaze Toward The Alienated Elites -- How Elites Were Formed In Colonial Brazil -- The Socioeconomic Cycles Of Brazil And The History Of The Nobility Of The Land -- Part Iii -- Allocutions Of Pius Xii To The Roman Patriciate And Nobility -- Allocution Of Benedict Xv To The Roman Patriciate And Nobility On January 5, 1920 -- Special Duties Of Society Toward The Impoverished Nobility -- Noble Lineage: A Precious Gift Of God -- The Church's Doctrine On Social Inequalities -- The Necessary Harmony Between Authentic Tradition And Authentic Progress -- Ancient Rome: A State Born From Patriarchal Societies -- Feudalism: Work Of The Medieval Family -- The Familial Character Of Feudal Government -- The King: The Father Of His People --^ The Paternal Character Of The Traditional Monarchy -- What Popes, Saints, Doctors And Theologians Think Regarding The Lawfulness Of War -- Is Being Noble And Leading A Noble's Life Incompatible With Sanctity? Plinio Corrêa De Oliveira. Allocutions Of Pius Xii: P. [432]-465. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [525]-534) And Index.