The Principle of
Subsidiarity protects people from
abuses by higher level social authorities and calls on the same public figures
and intermediate groups to make people not only exercise their rights but also
to fulfill their duties as individuals, as members of society, as citizens of a
country. This Principle is imperative because every human person, human family
and human intermediate group have
something original to offer to the community as a whole. Some of the more concrete indications –
guides, indications, pointers – found in the truth, reality and significance of
the said Principle of Subsidiarity are the following:
1. This Principle affirms the right of
individuals, domestic communities and civic organizations to be served by
public authorities for their common good – not to take over what they can do by
and accomplish for themselves. This is
the reality of self-reliance.
2. The Principle nevertheless also proclaims
the mandate of public authorities to see
to it that the same individuals, domestic communities and civic organizations
comply with their duties, their obligations.
This presumes that they are exercising their rights as a matter of
course.
3. The Principle
finally recognizes the capability or potential of the said individuals,
domestic communities and civil organizations to bring about original and
beneficial good in their own favour. The
assumption is that they know what is good/best for them – likewise as a matter
of course.
The observance of the “Principle
of Subsidiarity” brings about the
following more concrete positive consequences, all of which are ultimately pro-person,
pro-society and pro-public authority as well:
1. There is respect
for and promotion of the human person, the human family, and society together with
all legitimate neighborhood associations
and organizations.
2. There is
encouragement of private initiatives, considering that individuals,
families and societies are presumed to
know what they need, what they have to do, and how to go about it.
3. There is genuine pluralism in society that brings about
respect for and acceptance of the social particulars of minorities whose
members have the same basic human rights as the majority.
4. There is effective
decentralization of bureaucratic governance and administrative management that
are wherefore free and able to attend to
honest-to-goodness public welfare for the common good.
5. There is the
discovery and recognition of the appropriate methodology in making the citizens
more responsive to the need and call of being actively involved with the social
and political concerns of their country.
Conclusion: Government –
do not do everything, please!
