JOURNAL OF THE IRISH LABOUR HISTORY SOCIETY

LOUIE ~ENNEIT 39Xl's encyclical Quadragessimo Anno, in 1931.66 Also, her submission to the Commission's reportpraised the efforts of Muintir na Tire, an early form of the irish Catholic social movement. 67 Jn doingso, she found no contradiction between her own Protestant beliefs and her support for Catholic socialteaching; indeed, Bennett shared the latter's revulsion of increasing conflict in capitalistsociety,especially conflict between classes, and the over-powering role of the state.'The problem for nations with democratic aspirations is to find a via media between this [fascism's] deadlyculmination and the anarchic position ofan unco-ordinated mass of associations and organisations;.often·in disastrous conflict with one another and without any clear plan for the common good. '68The profit-motive, she argued, encouraged ~ast inequalities of Zvealth, resulting in increasing socialtension; the state thus felt obliged to intervene in order to eliminate the worst excesses of capitalism,but by doing so it over-stepped the boundaries and endangered the rights of individuals. Poverty andinjustice incensed her because workers, and especially women workers, bore the brunt of the existingsocial system, she had found a home within the trade unions. It was a form of missionary service. 69In its place, Bennett advocated a total reorganisation of society based upon producer-consumer cooperatives,which would unite both worker and employer in a bond of co-operation. Modem societycreated a'tendency for men and women to form themselves into associations of various types for the variouspurposes of life, with the result that we tend more and more to think in terms of groups rather thanindividuals ... This attitude of mind lends strength to the theory that the welfare of the community as a wholemust take precedence over individual interests. '70Vocational organisation could build this natural development by forcing the rearrangement 'andredistribution of the responsibility of services to vocational groupings. Ultimate power would-remainin the control of a democratically elected, vocationally based Parliament. It was Bennett's concentrationon democratic structures that distinguished her proposals from fascism. .Yet, her vocational organisation - alternatively termed co-operativism or collectivism -did not seekto eradicate the profit-motive but only to control it. Nor did it intend to abolish trade unions, albeit theywould eventually be re-organised. It did not advocate any form of anarchism; the state would retaina necessary role, although in a much more limited way. Its goal was simply the elimination of conflict,individualism, unfettered competition and unrestrained pursuit of profit, and their replacement by asociety that insisted upon the 'natural rights of individual and family' .71'I certainly want to see our society system built up on Christian principles in our country ... '72'Our history, our traditions and our religious faith should make us competent as a nation to evolve asocialand economic programme which would 'enable us 'to break through to higher levels of experience' .'73'Life is a mystery: we do not understand whence it comes or whither it goes. We know nothing of itspurposes orultimategoal. But wehave no riihi,to'lay rude hands upon mysteries, above all upon mysteriesround which hang our deepest and holiest inspirations, our hope, or faith, our only intimation of thingsnot seen.'74Bennett's desire to create a better world was influenced strongly by these spiritual values. Againand again she stressed the impact that Ireland as a country with a 'powerful spiritual strain' could haveupon world peace and social progress. Her moral crusade against injustice enlisted the support of 'allunselfish and great-hearted men' including periodic appeals to de Valera and the Pope. In June 1952,the IWWU published the Pope's 'Discourse to the Congress of the World Union of Organisations ofCatholic Women' as a pamphlet entitled Peace and Fraternity (A Call/or Action Addressed to EveryWoman 0/ Every Nation). 75Bennett's support for trade uhionism, and membership of the executive of both the ITUC and the