Is there need for a government? Who should form the government? How should we choose a government? These are three questions, whose answers can be found if we analyse the base of political authority.

“Political authority must guarantee an ordered and upright community life without usurping the free activity of individuals and groups but disciplining and orienting this freedom, by respecting and defending the independence of the individual and social subjects, for the attainment of the common good.”

 This according to the Church’s social doctrine is the role of political authority.  Authority refers to the legitimacy, justification and right to exercise power (the ability to achieve certain ends) (Wikipedia). The Church, however, in seeking to explain authority has as a key part of its definition the fact that we are social beings.

As social beings we are required to interact with each other in numerous ways – in church, in the workplace, in families and in the streets.  This interaction needs therefore to be “managed” by someone or a group, to ensure that order remains and that everyone is able to fulfil God’s purpose for them in their lives. 

“The Church has always considered different ways of understanding authority, taking care to defend and propose a model of authority that is founded on the social nature of the person.

“Since God made men social by nature, and since no society can hold together unless someone be over all, directing all to strive earnestly for the common good, every civilised community must have a ruling authority, and this authority, no less than society itself, has its source in nature, and has, consequently, God for its author”. Political authority is therefore necessary because of the responsibilities assigned to it. Herein, lies the answer to whether there is need for a government (political authority).

“Political authority is and must be a positive and irreplaceable component of civil life.”  This statement is key in leading us to answer the second question, “Who should form the government”.

We need the persons who have political authority over us to improve our lives and ensure that we all lead positive and fruitful existences. Those with authority must not promote or encourage acrimony. They must ensure the holistic development of everyone.

“Political authority is an instrument of coordination and direction by means of which the many individuals and intermediate bodies must move towards an order in which relationships, institutions and procedures are put at the service of integral human growth.

Political authority, in fact, “whether in the community as such or in institutions representing the State, must always be exercised within the limits of morality and on behalf of the dynamically conceived common good, according to a juridical order enjoying legal status.”

The issue of morality is key to political authority. We must have people who have strong moral values which seek to promote human life in all its facets and seeks to further God’s will. We therefore want our political authority to be in constant pursuit of God’s guidance. “When such is the case citizens are conscience-bound to obey”.

The final question, “How should we choose a government?” can be answered by the following excerpt from the Compendium.

“The subject of political authority is the people considered in its entirety as those who have sovereignty. In various forms, this people transfers the exercise of sovereignty to those whom it freely elects as its representatives, but it preserves the prerogative to assert this sovereignty in evaluating the work of those charged with governing and also in replacing them when they do not fulfil their functions satisfactorily.

Although this right is operative in every State and in every kind of political regime, a democratic form of government, due to its procedures for verification, allows and guarantees its fullest application. The mere consent of the people is not, however, sufficient for considering ‘just’ the ways in which political authority is exercised.”

What this tells us is that we as citizens have the responsibility to assess persons who present themselves before us as candidates who wish to govern. After assessing there should be some mechanism to choose the best candidate(s).

The Church indicates that a democratic process is the best one. Free and fair elections therefore are the ideal vehicles for selecting who we think are the most suitable.

Our responsibility however, does not stop there. We must now assess their performance based not only on material, financial and physical infrastructure but also on their impact on the human person and the common good as we have discussed time and again.

 If we are not satisfied, we are to exercise our right to have them removed from their position of political authority. If we are satisfied, we should endorse them. We must also not wait until too far down the road to express our satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

We must engage with our political authority throughout their tenure, and make them understand that the fact that they were elected by the people is not sufficient reason to act without consultation and/or care and regard for the citizenry.

Next week we look at “Authority as Moral Force” (Chapter 8; III b). 

Persons interested in purchasing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church may contact the Justice Desk, Archbishop’s House at 622-6680. Also on sale at the Justice Desk is Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching.