Against Big Business & Industrialism

Father Coughlin was also very much opposed to socialism, communism, Marxism, and any other similar political ideology that put the power of the people into the hands of the government. He firmly believed that the best way to combat this flawed way of thinking was to implement policies of new social reform and overall equality. It was not only communism that Coughlin stood against, however; he was also a denouncer of Big Business and industrialism – what we know today as capitalism.

Concentrating the wealth in the hands of the few, though fiscally viable for the few, is detrimental to the many. Believing this wholeheartedly, Coughlin set out to put an end to the vicious cycle of greed which he blamed for the Great Depression, the dissolution of the American family, and war and hate mongering. By 1930, Coughlin had earned a reputation for being one of the country's foremost authorities on anti-communism, and was invited by Hamilton Fish to appear before the House of Representatives to investigate communist activities.

Coughlin, never one to shy away from a crowd, accepted the invitation and proceeded to criticize leftist groups in America. However, Coughlin also seized the opportunity and harshly criticized Henry Ford and other leading industrialists, citing that their greed was the downfall of a nation.