Encyclical letters are always written in a context. This is particularly obvious in the case of  so-called "social encyclicals" which contain analyses of currents events and societal trends. But we cannot conclude from this fact that such letters become obsolete with the passing of time. On the contrary, we discover along, or inside, the flow of historical events some permanent trends or aspirations. It is not our purpose here to analyze the philosophical and theological implications of the relationship between history and Revelation. We see this interrelationship working, however, when we read, for instance, no. 9 of Populorum Progressio. I quote, "farming people too are becoming aware of their 'undeserved hardships'."  The last two words come from Rerum Novarum, the famous encyclical of Leo XIII written in 1891. Two lines below that we have a longer quotation from Gaudium et Spes published in 1965; Populorum Progressio was published in 1967. We may discuss the situation of farming people in the overall economic picture of a society today, but we do not see most of these  people not existing in "undeserved hardship." Going, however, beyond, but including their case, the text declares : "There is also the scandal of glaring inequalities not merely in the enjoyment of possessions but even more in the exercise of power."

        Now can we discern in the above lines something permanent? First, some hardships are undeserved. Why? If we need precise analysis of each concrete situation-- and that is impossible in three minutes-- at least we may say that we cannot divide society into two groups of human beings : the "inferiors" and the "superiors." We must search the cause of such divisions in unethical decisions from individuals and also in sinful structures, as explain in other more recent encyclicals of the present Pope.

        If we say that structures are sinful, one might conclude that individual decisions are not relevant, and hence no moral responsibility is involved. But the text does not allow such an escape. Further, we have already underlined that the exercise of power is at least as relevant as the possession of material goods. This is explained with a quotation from Gaudium et Spes: the poor is the one "deprived of nearly all possibility of personal initiative and of responsibility."

    And so we understand better the word "undeserved": no one can be deprived of his dignity, which translates itself into society as the right and duty of responsible participation. And here we approach a "permanent principle": human dignity is given first priority always and everywhere. We must add immediately that it is up to members of society to find the concrete _expression of this dignity.

        It is easier to show this permanent priniciple negatively than positively. Let us say that a practical method for keeping the poor out of any meaningful participation in society is to burden them with hard work, anguish for survival, and no hope for education. Popes, in their encyclicals, often underline the link between economic misery and political exclusion. Many experts in economics and social sciences, have further developed this subject. But how to positively express this principle? What is first apparant is the great freedom given to men to create, with responsible participation, the world they want to live in. It must always be a world where people are able to stand side by side in solidarity. That does not eliminate all tensions, problems of distribution of goods, and discussions about political structures. But it does prevent crude violence and contempt toward anyone.

        As said again and again, economics does not function without ethics. The ethical search for the complete development of man reminds us that no one can become himself a human being if he refuses to any one the concrete conditions to be also a human being. And among these conditions is the possibility to participate in the building of society. To conclude let us mention that, in 1987, John-Paul II wrote a encyclical  Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Popularum Progressio, in which letter he emphasizes the same truth of human dignity as the foundation for fighting poverty in a new context. There we see the same urge to respect each and every human being and to find concrete ways to do it, and thus achieve what is for the Comon Good of the community and each person within it.