Catholic Social Teaching: The Common Good
Everything in the Church’s social doctrine hinges on last week’s concept of human dignity, that because we are made in God’s image we deserve respect and require certain things to reach our true potential. To love God fully, we must love others, but to love them we must understand what they need to flourish, both as individuals and as a whole society. What is that common good of society and how does it relate to the good of the individual?
The Church defines the common good as “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily” (Gaudium et spes 26). In plain English, the common good is all the foundational things in society that help people flourish, and common goods benefit all equally. The common good is contrasted with private goods, goods that do not remain whole when they are divided or shared with others. If I give you a slice of pizza, I have one less slice to myself. If I sell you a piece of land, I no longer have access to that land. Private goods are not evil by any means; private property is not only permitted but praised by the Church (more on that next week). But common goods, when shared, help all people flourish.
The common good must always respect the human person that it’s meant to serve. You can’t serve the common good by stripping a person of their dignity or rights unjustly. Laws that promote and protect life from conception until natural death serve the common good of all, for my ability to live my full natural life does not strip you of that ability. In addition, religious freedom enables me to practice my beliefs without interference and should not impinge on your practice.
Common goods require and help the social well-being and development of the group. Helping people exercise their natural freedoms by ensuring access to basic rights like food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education, and employment serve the common good. Notice that the common good isn’t these resources themselves, for all of them are inherently limited (not enough homes, jobs, clothing to go around), but access to them in some quantity is essential. Fair labor practices (just wages, safe working conditions, etc.) and care for God’s creation benefit all without disadvantage. A nation that provides security for its citizens through morally acceptable means also enables people to flourish.
The pursuit of the common good should be the goal of every political policy, every social program, every economic endeavor, and yet we know how far away this ideal is from reality. Understanding what the common good is (and not confusing it with private goods) helps us cut through unhelpful rhetoric that pits people against each other in a scramble for limited resources. We can never claim to be acting for the common good if our actions do not open up space for others to flourish alongside us. Next week, we’ll learn how our idea of private property needs to be transformed to fit the biblical maxim that “The earth is the LORD’s and all it holds” (Ps. 24:1). Stay tuned!