ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY
Student Social Movement
(SSM)
An independent, politically motivated collegiate movement dedicated to promoting civic duty, solidarity, and spiritual intellectualism. We aim to unite students committed to social order and the common good.
STEP 1
Community
Our first objective is to establish a community of like-minded St. Bonaventure University students. We aim to hold on-campus assemblies to encourage social and intellectual collaboration among member students.
STEP 2
On-campus Activism
Our second objective is to raise awareness of our cause on campus. The SSM aims to expand its membership through on-campus activism, including demonstrations, open debates, posters, protests, and other forms of student engagement.
STEP 3
Public Service
Our third objective is to make a difference in our community. The SSM aims to assist people in need throughout Allegany County by supplying them with food, clothing, and other necessities.
Our Ideology
The Student Social Movement rejects the following ideas:
Communism: The SSM rejects communism due to its inherently atheistic, materialistic nature, and its theoretical and historical rejection of the Church and Christianity as a whole.
Capitalism: The SSM rejects capitalism due to its promotion of consumerism, materialism, globalism, and the destruction of the organic community.
Nazism: The SSM rejects national socialism due to its inexcusable racial hatred and historical practices of genocide.
Liberal democracy: The SSM rejects liberal democracy due to its priority of the individual over the collective and its inherent moral relativism.
The Student Social Movement accepts and seeks to promote the following ideas:
Nationalism: The SSM is a nationalist organization. We believe in the people's right to an independent, sovereign government, free of foreign influence.
Distributism: The SSM is in favor of the distribution of the means of production to small, local businesses in order to avoid the destruction of the community and restore the dignity and sacredness of work.
Catholic Social Teaching: The SSM prioritizes and acknowledges the dignity of the worker and the sacredness of his work. These beliefs ultimately stem from the papal tradition.
Family: The SSM upholds the family as the foundation of the nation. We believe that the state and its institutions are responsible for the protection and enrichment of the family unit.
Pope Pius XI
Our Roots
The Student Social Movement finds its ideological basis in two historical figures: Jose Antonio Primo di Rivera, and Engelbert Dollfuss.
Jose Antonio was a Spanish politician who founded the "Falange", a nationalist political movement. He was martyred in 1936 by Spanish republicans. You can read about his life here.
Engelbert Dollfuss was an Austrian politician who served as the chancellor of Austria from 1932 to 1934. Dollfuss played a vital role in maintaining Austrian independence and resisting Nazi control over Austria. He was martyred in 1934 by Nazis. You can read about his life here.
Jose Antonio Primo di Rivera
Engelbert Dollfuss
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join our movement?
All registered St. Bonaventure University students are welcome to join our movement. While Catholicism is integral to our ideological basis, students of all faiths are more than welcome to join our movement.
Is the movement partisan?
The SSM operates outside of the conventional political compass, and can best be described as a "Third Positionist" movement which is nationalistic and is opposed to both capitalism and communism. For this reason, our movement does not currently pledge its allegiance to any contemporary political party.
An Austrian demonstration protesting the Nazi assassination of Chancellor Dollfuss
Stand with Us at St. Bonaventure
Get involved and help us make change. Let us know about your interest via the contact form below.