Catholic Social Thought (CST) and Subsidiarity Seal of the Society of Jesus by Fred Kammer, S.J

Understanding CST

Catholic Social Thought (CST) and Subsidiarity Seal of the Society of Jesus By Fred Kammer, S.J.

”Just as it is gravely wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish by their own initiative and industry and give it to the community, so also it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and disturbance of right order to assign to a greater and higher association what lesser and subordinate organizations can do.” —Pope Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno

In 1931, in the encyclical through subsidiarity that larger political economic life cannot be left to a free Quadragesimo Anno, Pope Pius XI entities should not absorb the effective competition of forces. For from this introduced a critically important Catholic functions of smaller ones. This was in part source, as from a poisoned spring, have social teaching concept, one which has a reaction against the centralizing originated and spread all the errors of remained current in political debates tendencies of socialism at the time. individualist economic teaching.”4 In today. In his discussion of the social order, However, if smaller, more localized entities 2009, Pope Benedict further clarified: he stated the principle: cannot or will not cope adequately with a The principle of subsidiarity must problem, then larger entities—the state, for As history abundantly proves, it is true that remain closely linked to the principle of instance—have a responsibility to act. on account of changed conditions many solidarity and vice versa, since the former The principle, however, is not just things which were done by small associations without the latter gives way to social political. Warning against the overbearing in former times cannot be done now save by privatism, while the latter without the action of any large social actor—including large associations. Still, that most weighty former gives way to paternalist social large corporations—the principle “also principle, which cannot be set aside or assistance that is demeaning to those demands that they render assistance, changed, remains fixed and unshaken in in need.5 subsidium, when problems are too large to social philosophy: Just as it is gravely wrong be handled by smaller, local actors.”2 Ultimately, subsidiarity is rooted in to take from individuals what they can The U.S. bishops later related human dignity, providing that we are most accomplish by their own initiative and subsidiarity to “institutional pluralism” truly human in making decisions and industry and give it to the community, so also providing space “for freedom, initiative, solving problems as close to those affected it is an injustice and at the same time a grave and creativity on the part of many social by them as possible. evil and disturbance of right order to assign to agents.”3 Subsidiarity insists that all a greater and higher association what lesser parties contribute to the common good and subordinate organizations can do. For ENDNOTES and do so in ways true to their capacities. every social activity ought of its very nature to Families, neighborhood groups, small furnish help to the members of the body 1 Pope Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno [On businesses, professional associations, Reconstructing the Social Order], No. 79, social, and never destroy and absorb them.1 unions, community organizations, and emphasis supplied. The principle, known as subsidiarity, local, state, and national governments are 2 Vincent J. Miller, Saving Subsidiarity, in recently has been invoked—wrongly—to all important to subsidiarity, as are America, July 30, 2012, p. 15. advocate federal block grants to states, international organizations to meet 3 Economic Justice for All, No. 100. slashing welfare programs for needy international needs. 4 Quadragesimo Anno, No. 88. families, and unregulated free markets. Misusing subsidiarity to advocate Pius specifically applied subsidiarity small government and unrestrained free 5 Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, 2009, no. to political authority and thus markets, Catholic conservatives ignore the 58, emphasis in original. interpretations have focused on the fact that Catholic social thought always political sector. Instead of being for or has been critical of both excessive state against “big government,” however, power and unrestrained economic power. Catholic social theory has stressed Pius wrote that, “…the right ordering of