A CATECHISM OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING PART III
Heading One: Man And Society
Chapter 2. Origin, Nature, Ends and Types of Society
13) What is the origin of society?
Natural instinct and a need for well-being and perfection caused man to unite with other men. Thus society arose.
Leo XIII: Man's natural instinct moves him to live in civil society. Isolated, he cannot provide himself with the necessary requirements of life, nor procure the means of developing his mental and moral faculties. It is, therefore, divinely ordained that he should lead his life–be it domestic, social, or civil–in contact with his fellow men, where alone his several wants can be adequately supplied. (Immortale Dei, §2)
14) In what sense does society have a divine origin?
Since God gave man instincts, assets and insufficiencies which move him to unite in a society, it can be said that society was willed and ordained by God himself.
Leo XIII: And indeed nature, or rather God who is the author of nature, wills that man should live in a civil society; and this is clearly shown both by the faculty of language, the greatest medium of intercourse, and by numerous innate desires of the mind, and the many necessary things, and things of great importance, which men isolated cannot procure, but which they can procure when joined and associated with others. (Diuturnum, §7)
15) What are the duties of society toward God?
In view of its origin and end, society must recognize God as its author, respect His laws and honor Him.
Leo XIII: The State...must evidently act up to the manifold and weighty duties linking it to God, by the public profession of religion. Nature and reason, commanding every individual devoutly to worship God in holiness...bind also the civil community by a like law. For men living together in society, no less than individuals, owe gratitude to God. It is He who gave it being and maintains it, and whose ever-bounteous goodness enriches it with countless blessings. (Immortale Dei, §3)
Leo XIII: If then any State aims only at external advantage and wealth, it is wont in its government to put God and the moral law aside, it wrongfully turns away from its end and from the teaching of nature, and cannot be called a community or society, but is rather a deceitful resemblance and a parody. (Sapientiae Christianae, §2)
Pius XII: A social teaching or a social reconstruction program which denies or prescinds from this internal relation to God of everything that regards men, is on a false course; and while it builds up with one hand, it prepares with the other the material which sooner or later will undermine and destroy the whole fabric. (Christmas Message, 1942)
16) Is the practice of religion necessary to the perfection of society?
The virtues of self-denial, justice, brotherhood and charity which man needs in associating with others and which cooperate in the perfection of society, find in religion an enhancing and a strengthening force, so that the better the practice of true religion, the more perfect will society also be.
Pius IX: A society of men free from religious obligations and duties of true justice, can have no other aim except to acquire and accumulate wealth, and no other law in its operations except to follow its indomitable desire to satisfy its own pleasures and convenience. (Quanta Cura)
17) What is the end of society?
The end of every society, as a medium necessary or optional, is the perfection of man and the common good.
Pius IX: In the plan of the Creator, society is a natural means which man can and must use to reach his destined end. Society is for the man and not vice versa. This must not be understood in the sense of liberalistic individualism, which subordinates society to the selfish use of the individual; but only in the sense that by means of an organic union with society and by mutual collaboration the attainment of earthly happiness is placed within the reach of all. (Divini Redemptoris, §29)
Leo XIII: For nature has not formed society in order that man might look to it as an end, but in order that in it and through it he might find fitting help to his own perfection. (Sapientiae Christianae, §2)
Pius XII: The origin and the primary scope of social life is the conservation, development and perfection of the human person, helping him to realize accurately the demands and values of religion and culture set by the Creator for every man and for all mankind, both as a whole and in its natural ramifications. (Christmas Message, 1942)
18) Must man remain in society?
Man must belong to those forms of society which are necessary for the achievement of his perfection.
Pius XI: But God has likewise destined man for civil society according to the dictates of his very nature....It is society which affords the opportunities for the development of all the individual and social gifts bestowed on human nature. These natural gifts have a value surpassing the immediate interests of the moment, for in society they reflect the divine perfection, which would not be true were man to live alone. (Divini Redemptoris, §29)
19) Is collaboration of the individual necessary to the perfecting of society?
In order to offset the insufficiencies of man it is necessary that every individual be a part of society, collaborating with the perfecting of society for his own good, for the welfare of mankind and the realization of the plan of Divine Providence.
Pius IX: Man cannot be exempted from his divinely imposed obligations toward civil society, and the representatives of authority have the right to coerce him when he refuses without reason to do his duty. (Divini Redemptoris, §30)
20) Are there various types of society?
Man joins other men for a variety of reasons. The limits, the nature, and the purpose of these groups determine the different types of society.
Leo XIII: The experience of his own weakness urges man to call in help from without....It is this natural impulse which unites men in civil society; and it is this also which makes them band themselves together in associations of citizen with citizen; associations which, it is true, cannot be called societies in the complete sense of the word, but which are real societies nevertheless. These lesser societies and the society which constitutes the State differ in many things, because their immediate purpose and end is different. (Rerum Novarum, §37)
21) With regard to the latitude of their ends how are societies distinguished?
With regard to the latitude of their ends, societies are universal, such as civil society; and particular or private, such as commercial societies.
Leo XIII: [Various societies] differ in many things, because their immediate purpose and end are different. Civil society exists for the common good, and, therefore, is concerned with the interests of all in general, and with the individual interests in their due place and proportion. Hence, it is called public society....But the societies which are formed in the bosom of the State are called private, and justly so, because their immediate purpose is the private advantage of the associates. "Now, a private society," says St. Thomas again, "is one which is formed for the purpose of carrying out private business; as when two or three enter into partnership with the view of trading in conjunction." (Rerum Novarum, §37)
22) With regard to the capability of achieving their ends, how are societies distinguished?
With regard to the capability of reaching their ends, societies are perfect, such as the Church and the State; and imperfect, including all others.
Pius IX: The Church...[is] a perfect society, because it has in itself all the means required for its own end. The civil society is a perfect society having in itself all the means for its own end. (Divini Illius Magistri)
23) As to their nature, how are societies divided?
As to their nature, societies are natural, such as the family and civil society; conventional, such as cultural, commercial, athletic and the like; and supernatural, such as the Church. The supernatural society and the natural are necessary societies.
Pius IX: There are three necessary societies, distinct from one another and yet harmoniously combined by God, into which man is born: two, namely the family and civil society, belong to the natural order; the third, the Church, to the supernatural order. (Divini Illius Magistri)
24) Is there any order among the various forms of societies?
The order among the various forms of societies depends upon their necessity and the priority of the end of each of them.
Leo XIII: Particular societies, then, although they exist within the State, and are each a part of the State, nevertheless cannot be prohibited by the State absolutely and as such. For to enter into a "society" of this kind is the natural right of man. The State must protect natural rights, not destroy them. If it forbids its citizens to form associations, it contradicts the very principle of its own existence; for both they and it exist in virtue of the same principle, viz., the natural propensity of man to live in society. There are times, no doubt, when it is right that the law should interpose to prevent association—as when men join together for purposes which are evidently bad, unjust, or dangerous to the State. In such cases the public authority may justly forbid the formation of associations, and may dissolve them when they already exist. But every precaution should be taken not to violate the rights of individuals, and not to make unÂreasonable regulations under the pretense of public benefit. (Rerum Novarum, §38)
Leo XIII: [Ecclesiastic and civil society] each in its kind is supreme....But inasmuch as each of these two powers has authority over the same subjects...God...has marked out the course of each in right correlation to the other...a certain orderly connection, which may be compared to the union of the soul and body in man. The nature and scope of that connection can be determined only...by having regard to the nature of each power, and by taking account of the relative excellence and nobleness of their purpose. (Immortale Dei, §6)
Leo XIII: The family [is]...a society limited indeed in numbers, but a true "society," anterior to every kind of civil society, with rights and duties of its own, totally independent of the commonwealth....Wherefore, provided the limits be not transgressed which are prescribed by the very purposes for which it exists, the family has, at least, equal rights with the State in the choice and pursuit of those things which are needful to its preservation and its just liberty...and...if a family finds itself in great difficulty...it is right that extreme necessity be met by public aid. In like manner, if within the walls of the household there occur grave disturbances of mutual rights, the public power must intervene.... (Rerum Novarum, §§9, 11)
25) Is there any form of society which must not be confused with other forms, whether natural or conventional?
The Church, or society of the faithful, on account of its origin, scope and its means, is a perfect society of a supernatural and universal order. It is clearly distinct from all other forms of human societies and possesses its own independence and its own rights.
Pius IX: The third society into which man is born when through Baptism he reaches the divine life of grace is the Church; a society of the supernatural order and of universal extent; a perfect society, because it has in itself all the means required for its own end, which is the eternal salvation of mankind; hence it is supreme in its own domain. (Divini Illius Magistri)
26) Which is the pre-eminent type among natural societies?
In view of the universality of its scopes, civil society or the State is a pre-eminent form of society with respect to all other natural and conventional societies. However, this pre-eminence must not infringe upon the rights and prerogatives proper to other forms of society.
Pius XI: Civil society is a perfect society, having in itself all the means for its peculiar end, which is the temporal well-being of the community, and so, in this respect, that is, in view of the common good, it has pre-eminence over the family, which finds its own suitable temporal perfection precisely in civil society. (Divini Illius Magistri)
Pius XI: The State, then, should leave to these smaller groups the settlement of business problems of minor importance....The more faithfully this principle of "subsidiary" function is followed, and a graded hierarchical order exists between the various associations, the greater also will be both social authority and social efficiency. The happier, too, and more prosperous will be the condition of the commonwealth. (Quadragesimo Anno, §80)
Taken from Amintore Fanfani, Catechism of Catholic Social Teaching (The Newman Press, 1960), pp.15-23.
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