The purpose of society is to create the conditions that facilitate authentic human development. Politics is the management of society. It therefore follows that the purpose of politics is also to create the conditions for authentic human development. Many of us may prefer to live without politics. However, because human beings have to live in community to experience full human life, and because communal activity needs guidance, natural law actually tells us that the political life is a necessity. Governmental authority must be exercised with respect to human freedom in order to protect the common good.
Human beings are created to be interdependent. We rely on each other to meet our needs. Furthermore, we need each other. Human beings find true happiness through relationships. While American culture values independence, humans only find fulfillment when we live in community. One of the most important roles of the political activity within a society is to foster interdependence. Government should support community groups to help them help others. It should also create opportunities for people within a community to connect and help each other.
Another important role of the government is the protection of the common good. The Council defines the common good as “the sum of those conditions of the social life whereby men, families and associations more adequately and readily may attain their own perfection.” In other words, the common good consists of social resources that aid authentic human development. The common good would include such resources as basic health care, education, and security. These are mostly intangible goods that are shared in common.
Legitimate Authority
Governmental authority does not have license to do whatever it wants. Authority must always follow moral law, and it must always act to protect the common good. The difficult task of those in authority is to balance order and freedom. Human beings need to be free to authentically develop. Yet, even without sin, human diversity would require an authority to orchestrate interdependence and to ensure order. The balance between freedom and order is not always easy to accomplish. Politicians and those who hold office need to be people with good moral character so that citizens can be sure that they will seek this balance and that they will work for the common good rather than for self interest. Violation of public trust by officials is an abuse of human interdependence, freedom, the common good and growth.
So how do we ensure a healthy political life? Can we find the best program, the right political party or presidential candidate, or the right political theory to achieve the balance? The Council tells us that truly human political life is fostered only by an inward sense of justice and kindliness and a dedication to interdependence and the public good. How is this internal sense developed? First of all, it is developed primarily in the family. The family is the primary unit of society, and it is the first school of citizenship. Secondly, inner virtue is accomplished through conversion of hearts. Catholics need to educate people about the proper role of society, citizenship and authority. We need to promote the true, the good and the beautiful within our communities. This is the role the Church plays in regard to government and society. The Church has no immediate interest in any government. With few historical exceptions, the Church has always stayed out of politics. However, since the Church’s main concern is the human person, She is interested in how governments contribute to human life.
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