Suchergebnisse

Sociological research concerning three Catholic "pillar" organizations (the Catholic school system, the Christian hospitals, & the Catholic U) indicates that secularization is not followed by "depillarization" or weakening of the Catholic pillars. It is suggested that there is a process of secularization within the Catholic organizations, with as main components the development of a sociocultural Christianity (a secular surrogate for church religion) & professionalization by which Christian organizations ensure job security & social advancement for its loyal members. Thanks to its informal ties with the Christian pillar organizations, the Parti Social Chretien (Christian Democrat Party) acts on both components by stressing the specific identity & defining the interests of the pillar organizations. This explanation reveals some major aspects of the ties between Catholics (in the sociological sense) & their party, a bond that is certainly not affected by the secularization process. Modified HA.

Why does pol'al life in the US seem to suffer from intellectual anemia? Partly at least, because historically, the US has been an Eldorado, the ideal society. For many generations of underpriveleged people all over the world, the 'Amer Dream' was simply the belief in heaven on earth. Hence the US became a messianistic society, with some overtones, on the one hand, of complacency, & on the other of fear of the Villain who would endanger the Promised Land. This mixture of self-righteousness & anxiety forms the basis for a solid conservatism, not only more widely spread than in any other country, but also more respectable-a paradox as such in the most dynamic & progressive nation of the world. Consequently, the security syndrome, if not permanent, can always easily be revived at any moment. Many groups, pol'al or others, respectable or secret, derive from it, for a variety of reasons & flourish on the suspicion of an anti-Amer conspiracy, whether inside or outside the US. Among them, the John Birch Society seems to be one of the most interesting, because the discrepancy between its modest numbers & considerable influence, expresses, by contrast, the extent to which it is representative of a basic feature of Amer soc behavior. AA.