I’m pretty much alarmed at Pope Francis’ economic illiteracy. This guy isn’t stupid, but he’s in waaayyy over his head, intellectually, failing to recognize that his immediate two predecessors had a knack for such commentary on such a wide range of subjects because they were absolute geniuses, that they could immediately distill truth out of hundreds of conflicting theories.
However, speculation on food prices is the modern equivalent to hoarding, and it is, quote in fact, spectacularly evil. Especially, in this case, because the hoarders aren’t driven by self-preservation, merely pure profit motive.
And while the NCR is more socialist than Catholic, there is no need to adopt socialism to prevent speculation; it’s a problem which has attracted libertarian and other free-market approaches.
Illiteracy? It’s downright sin. Violating the Ten Commandments from the bottom up.