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73. In our day, profound changes are apparent also in the structure
and institutions of peoples. These result from their cultural,
economic and social evolution. Such changes have a great influence on
the life of the political community, especially regarding the rights
and duties of all in the exercise of civil freedom and in the attainment
of the common good, and in organizing the relations of citizens among
themselves and with respect to public authority.
The present keener sense of human dignity has given rise in many parts
of the world to attempts to bring about a politico-juridical order
which will give better protection to the rights of the person in public
life. These include the right freely to meet and form associations,
the right to express one's own opinion and to profess one's religion
both publicly and privately. The protection of the rights of a person
is indeed a necessary condition so that citizens, individually or
collectively, can take an active part in the life and government of the
state.
Along with cultural, economic and social development, there is a
growing desire among many people to play a greater part in organizing
the life of the political community. In the conscience of many arises
an increasing concern that the rights of minorities be recognized,
without any neglect for their duties toward the political community.
In addition, there is a steadily growing respect for men of other
opinions or other religions. At the same time, there is wider
cooperation to guarantee the actual exercise of personal rights to all
citizens, and not only to a few privileged individuals.
However, those political systems, prevailing in some parts of the
world are to be reproved which hamper civic or religious freedom,
victimize large numbers through avarice and political crimes, and
divert the exercise of authority from the service of the common good to
the interests of one or another faction or of the rulers themselves.
There is no better way to establish political life on a truly human
basis than by fostering an inward sense of justice and kindliness, and
of service to the common good, and by strengthening basic convictions
as to the true nature of the political community and the aim, right
exercise, and sphere of action of public authority.
74. Men, families and the various groups which make up the civil
community are aware that they cannot achieve a truly human life by their
own unaided efforts. They see the need for a wider community, within
which each one makes his specific contribution every day toward an ever
broader realization of the common good.[154] For this purpose they
set up a political community according to various forms. The political
community exists, consequently, for the sake of the common good, in
which it finds its full justification and significance, and the source
of its inherent legitimacy. Indeed, the common good embraces the sum
of those conditions of the social life whereby men, families and
associations more adequately and readily may attain their own
perfection.[155]
Yet the people who come together in the political community are many
and diverse, and they have every right to prefer divergent solutions.
If the political community is not to be torn apart while everyone
follows his own opinion, there must be an authority to direct the
energies of all citizens toward the common good, not in a mechanical or
despotic fashion, but by acting above all as a moral force which
appeals to each one's freedom and sense of responsibility.
It is clear, therefore, that the political community and public
authority are founded on human nature and hence belong to the order
designed by God, even though the choice of a political regime and the
appointment of rulers are left to the free will of citizens.[156]
It follows also that political authority, both in the community as
such and in the representative bodies of the state, must always be
exercised within the limits of the moral order and directed toward the
common good-with a dynamic concept of that good-according to the
juridical order legitimately established or due to be established.
When authority is so exercised, citizens are bound in conscience to
obey.[157] Accordingly, the responsibility, dignity and importance
of leaders are indeed clear.
But where citizens are oppressed by a public authority overstepping its
competence, they should not protest against those things which are
objectively required for the common good; but it is legitimate for them
to defend their own rights and the rights of their fellow citizens
against the abuse of this authority, while keeping within those limits
drawn by the natural law and the Gospels.
According to the character of different peoples and their historic
development, the political community can, however, adopt a variety of
concrete solutions in its structures and the organization of public
authority. For the benefit of the whole human family, these solutions
must always contribute to the formation of a type of man who will be
cultivated, peace-loving and well-disposed towards all his fellow
men.
75. It is in full conformity with human nature that there should be
juridico-political structures providing all citizens in an ever better
fashion and without and discrimination the practical possibility of
freely and actively taking part in the establishment of the juridical
foundations of the political community and in the direction of public
affairs, in fixing the terms of reference of the various public bodies
and in the election of political leaders.[158] All citizens,
therefore, should be mindful of the right and also the duty to use
their free vote to further the common good. The Church praises and
esteems the work of those who for the good of men devote themselves to
the service of the state and take on the burdens of this office.
If the citizens' responsible cooperation is to produce the good
results which may be expected in the normal course of political life,
there must be a statute of positive law providing for a suitable
division of the functions and bodies of authority and an efficient and
independent system for the protection of rights. The rights of all
persons, families and groups, and their practical application, must
be recognized, respected and furthered, together with the duties
binding on all citizen.[159] Among the latter, it will be well to
recall the duty of rendering the political community such material and
personal service as are required by the common good. Rulers must be
careful not to hamper the development of family, social or cultural
groups, nor that of intermediate bodies or organizations, and not to
deprive them of opportunities for legitimate and constructive activity;
they should willingly seek rather to promote the orderly pursuit of such
activity. Citizens, for their part, either individually or
collectively, must be careful not to attribute excessive power to
public authority, not to make exaggerated and untimely demands upon it
in their own interests, lessening in this way the responsible role of
persons, families and social groups.
The complex circumstances of our day make it necessary for public
authority to intervene more often in social, economic and cultural
matters in order to bring about favorable conditions which will give
more effective help to citizens and groups in their free pursuit of
man's total well-being. The relations, however, between
socialization and the autonomy and development of the person can be
understood in different ways according to various regions and the
evolution of peoples [160]. But when the exercise of rights is restricted
temporarily for the common good, freedom should be restored immediately
upon change of circumstances. Moreover, it is inhuman for public
authority to fall back on dictatonal systems or totalitarian methods
which violate the rights of the person or social groups.
Citizens must cultivate a generous and loyal spirit of patriotism, but
without being narrow-minded. This means that they will always direct
their attention to the good of the whole human family, united by the
different ties which bind together races, people and nations.
All Christians must be aware of their own specific vocation within the
political community. It is for them to give an example by their sense
of responsibility and their service of the common good. In this way
they are to demonstrate concretely how authority can be compatible with
freedom, personal initiative with the solidarity of the whole social
organism, and the advantages of unity with fruitful diversity. They
must recognize the legitimacy of different opinions with regard to
temporal solutions, and respect citizens, who, even as a group,
defend their points of view by honest methods. Political parties, for
their part, must promote those things which in their judgement are
required for the common good; it is never allowable to give their
interests priority over the common good.
Great care must be taken about civic and political formation, which is
of the utmost necessity today for the population as a whole, and
especially for youth, so that all citizens can play their part in the
life of the political community. Those who are suited or can become
suited should prepare themselves for the difficult, but at the same
time, the very noble art of politics,[161] and should seek to
practice this art without regard for their own interests or for material
advantages. With integrity and wisdom, they must take action against
any form of injustice and tyranny, against arbitrary domination by an
individual or a political party and any intolerance. They should
dedicate themselves to the service of all with sincerity and fairness,
indeed, with the charity and fortitude demanded by political life.
76. It is very important, especially where a pluralistic society
prevails, that there be a correct notion of the relationship between
the political community and the Church, and a clear distinction
between the tasks which Christians undertake, individually or as a
group, on their own responsibility as citizens guided by the dictates
of a Christian conscience, and the activities which, in union with
their pastors, they carry out in the name of the Church.
The Church, by reason of her role and competence, is not identified
in any way with the political community nor bound to any political
system. She is at once a sign and a safeguard of the transcendent
character of the human person.
The Church and the political community in their own fields are
autonomous and independent from each other. Yet both, under different
titles, are devoted to the personal and social vocation of the same
men. The more that both foster sounder cooperation between themselves
with due consideration for the circumstances of time and place, the
more effective will their service be exercised for the good of all.
For man's horizons are not limited only to the temporal order; while
living in the context of human history, he preserves intact his eternal
vocation. The Church, for her part, founded on the love of the
Redeemer, contributes toward the reign of justice and charity within
the borders of a nation and between nations. By preaching the truths
of the Gospel, and bringing to bear on all fields of human endeavor
the light of her doctrine and of a Christian witness, she respects and
fosters the political freedom and responsibility of citizens.
The Apostles, their successors and those who cooperate with them,
are sent to announce to mankind Christ, the Savior. Their
apostolate is based on the power of God, Who very often shows forth
the strength of the Gospel on the weakness of its witnesses. All
those dedicated to the ministry of God's Word must use the ways and
means proper to the Gospel which in a great many respects differ from
the means proper to the earthly city.
There are, indeed, close links between earthly things and those
elements of man's condition which transcend the world. The Church
herself makes use of temporal things insofar as her own mission requires
it. She, for her part, does not place her trust in the privileges
offered by civil authority. She will even give up the exercise of
certain rights which have been legitimately acquired, if it becomes
clear that their use will cast doubt on the sincerity of her witness or
that new ways of life demand new methods. It is only right, however,
that at all times and in all places, the Church should have true
freedom to preach the faith, to teach her social doctrine, to exercise
her role freely among men, and also to pass moral judgment in those
matters which regard public order when the fundamental rights of a
person or the salvation of souls require it. In this, she should make
use of all the means-but only those-which accord with the Gospel and
which correspond to the general good according to the diversity oś
times and circumstances.
While faithfully adhering to the Gospel and fulfilling her mission to
the world, the Church, whose duty it is to foster and elevate[162]
all that is found to be true, good and beautiful in the human
community, strengthens peace among men for the glory of God.[163]
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