Pope Paul VI's encyclical On the Development of Peoples is undoubtedly one of the most significant papal statements of modern times. It states unequivocally the Church's support for the revolutionary hopes of the world's poor and oppressed peoples and makes explicit recommendations for radical social and economic reforms to help realize these hopes. "The world is sick," says the Pope, and leaves no doubt as to the responsibilities of affluent nations and individuals for curing this sickness.