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by Séverine Deneulin

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That integral human flourishing is the standard for assessing the progress of nations is the recurrent theme of the encyclical Populorum Progressio (1967). Yet, these insights are exactly those of the human development paradigm put forward by secular development agencies and thinkers. Moreover, the human development paradigm contains a much more advanced analysis of key issues to promoting integral human flourishing, such as governance, democracy building, the role of women and inter-generational justice. What is then the contribution of Populorum Progressio? After discussing the insights that secular development thinking brings to Catholic Social Teaching, the presentation examines areas in which Populorum Progressio makes a unique contribution to development. It especially emphasises the inter-connectedness of humankind, the universal destiny of goods, and the duties which follow from these.