Solidarism

Solidarism is a system of social organization which attempts to maintain private ownership of the means of production while at the same time placing above the property owner an authority - for example the state or the church - which is responsible for ensuring that the owners use their property in a suitable manner. In other words, the ruling authority determines the norms and overall goals of society and is then entitled to ensure that all property owners are making use of their property in a way that meshes with the authority's preferences. Solidarism was popular during the French Third Republic where prior to World War I it was referred to as the official social philosophy. The advocates of solidarism believed that such a system would be a middle way between socialism and capitalism; making use of the beneficial characteristics of both.