It is part of the larger body of Catholic social teaching, which traces its origin to Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical Rerum novarum.

Laborem exercens was written in honor of the 90th anniversary, and makes reference to Rerum novarum and to several of the subsequent writings.

[2] Laborem exercens begins with a scriptural argument that work is more than just an activity or a commodity, but an essential part of human nature.

[8]In Laborem exercens, John Paul set forth the following basic priorities as a framework for discussing issues of labor, capital, and property ownership: For contrast, he named two ideas he considered to be errors: materialism and economism.

This awareness is extinguished within him in a system of excessive bureaucratic centralization, which makes the worker feel that he is just a cog in a huge machine moved from above.

Any tools or technology used builds on prior work by countless generations, and continue to be influenced by those who use them in the present day.

John Paul examined the rights of workers in the context of a broader picture including both direct and indirect employers.

He affirmed the right of unions to strike—"This method is recognized by Catholic social teaching as legitimate in the proper conditions and within just limits"—but "the strike weapon" is an extreme means that should rarely be used.

These include greater isolation; hard physical toil; inadequate wages, benefits, and training; and oppression of those who actually cultivate the soil by wealthy landowners.

"In many situations radical and urgent changes are therefore needed in order to restore to agriculture—and to rural people—their just value as the basis for a healthy economy, within the social community's development as a whole.

The pope acknowledged costs and other barriers, but believes these can be overcome when communities work together with worker’s rights being a priority.

[17] John Paul expressed concerns about the phenomenon of people who emigrate, either permanently or seasonally, in search of work: Each country should have laws to protect the rights of immigrant workers, so that they receive equal treatment.

[19] He suggested the following components of this: Curran, Charles E. Catholic social teaching, 1891-present: a historical, theological, and ethical analysis.

ISBN 0-87840-881-9 Henriot, Peter J., DeBerri, Edward P., and Schultheis, Michael J. Catholic social teaching: our best kept secret.