1928
Society ensures social justice when it provides the conditions that allow
associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their
nature and their vocation. Social justice is linked to the common good and the
exercise of authority.
I.
Respect For the Human Person
1929
Social justice can be obtained only in respecting the transcendent dignity of
man. the person represents the ultimate end of society, which is ordered to
him:
What
is at stake is the dignity of the human person, whose defense and promotion
have been entrusted to us by the Creator, and to whom the men and women at
every moment of history are strictly and responsibly in debt.35
1930
Respect for the human person entails respect for the rights that flow from his
dignity as a creature. These rights are prior to society and must be recognized
by it. They are the basis of the moral legitimacy of every authority: by
flouting them, or refusing to recognize them in its positive legislation, a
society undermines its own moral legitimacy.36 ( Cf. John XXIII, PT 65.) If it does not respect them,
authority can rely only on force or violence to obtain obedience from its
subjects. It is the Church's role to remind men of goodwill of these rights
and to distinguish them from unwarranted or false claims.
1931
Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that
"everyone should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as
'another self,' above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for
living it with dignity."37 (GS 27 # 1. ) No legislation could by itself do away with the
fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the
establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through
the charity that finds in every man a "neighbor," a brother.
1932
The duty of making oneself a neighbor to others and actively serving them
becomes even more urgent when it involves the disadvantaged, in whatever area
this may be. "As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you
did it to me."38
1933
This same duty extends to those who think or act differently from us. the
teaching of Christ goes so far as to require the forgiveness of offenses. He
extends the commandment of love, which is that of the New Law, to all
enemies.39 (Cf. ⇒ Mt 5:43-44. ) Liberation in the spirit of the Gospel is incompatible with hatred
of one's enemy as a person, but not with hatred of the evil that he does as an
enemy.
II.
Equality and Differences Among Men
1934
Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls,
all men have the same nature and the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of
Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all
therefore enjoy an equal dignity.
1935
The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the
rights that flow from it:
Every
form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the
grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be
curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design.40
1936
On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for
developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Differences appear
tied to age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes, the benefits
derived from social commerce, and the distribution of wealth.41 ( Cf. GS 29 # 2.) The
"talents" are not distributed equally.42
1937
These differences belong to God's plan, who wills that each receive what he
needs from others, and that those endowed with particular "talents"
share the benefits with those who need them. These differences encourage and
often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods;
they foster the mutual enrichment of cultures:
I
distribute the virtues quite diversely; I do not give all of them to each
person, but some to one, some to others.... I shall give principally charity to
one; justice to another; humility to this one, a living faith to that one....
and so I have given many gifts and graces, both spiritual and temporal, with
such diversity that I have not given everything to one single person, so that
you may be constrained to practice charity towards one another.... I have
willed that one should need another and that all should be my ministers in
distributing the graces and gifts they have received from me.43
1938
There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women.
These are in open contradiction of the Gospel:
Their
equal dignity as persons demands that we strive for fairer and more humane
conditions. Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and
peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against
social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international
peace.44
III.
Human Solidarity
1939
The principle of solidarity, also articulated in terms of
"friendship" or "social charity," is a direct demand of
human and Christian brotherhood.45
An
error, "today abundantly widespread, is disregard for the law of human
solidarity and charity, dictated and imposed both by our common origin and by
the equality in rational nature of all men, whatever nation they belong to.
This law is sealed by the sacrifice of redemption offered by Jesus Christ on
the altar of the Cross to his heavenly Father, on behalf of sinful
humanity."46
1940
Solidarity is manifested in the first place by the distribution of goods and
remuneration for work. It also presupposes the effort for a more just social
order where tensions are better able to be reduced and conflicts more readily
settled by negotiation.
1941
Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of
solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of
workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business,
solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement
of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this.
1942
The virtue of solidarity goes beyond material goods. In spreading the spiritual
goods of the faith, the Church has promoted, and often opened new paths for,
the development of temporal goods as well. and so throughout the centuries has
the Lord's saying been verified: "Seek first his kingdom and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well":47
For
two thousand years this sentiment has lived and endured in the soul of the
Church, impelling souls then and now to the heroic charity of monastic farmers,
liberators of slaves, healers of the sick, and messengers of faith,
civilization, and science to all generations and all peoples for the sake of
creating the social conditions capable of offering to everyone possible a life
worthy of man and of a Christian.48 (Pius XII, Discourse, June 1, 1941. )
IN
BRIEF
1943
Society ensures social justice by providing the conditions that allow
associations and individuals to obtain their due.
1944
Respect for the human person considers the other "another self." It
presupposes respect for the fundamental rights that flow from the dignity
intrinsic of the person.
1945
The equality of men concerns their dignity as persons and the rights that flow
from it.
1946
The differences among persons belong to God's plan, who wills that we should
need one another. These differences should encourage charity.
1947
The equal dignity of human persons requires the effort to reduce excessive
social and economic inequalities. It gives urgency to the elimination of sinful
inequalities.
1948
Solidarity is an eminently Christian virtue. It practices the sharing of
spiritual goods even more than material ones.
GO TO:
CHAPTER TWO THE HUMAN COMMUNION
PART THREE LIFE IN CHRIST
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