(Prof. Jose Vidamor Yu, Manila)

Democracy is understood in two Greek root words: demos which means people, and kratein which means to rule. The term demokratia, which is understood as (the rule of the people) became a common term among the Greeks especially Thucicides and Aristophanes but was later known to Herodotus. In Athens, the essential foundations of democracy were said to be established: by Cleisthenes, by the use of the term equality. In the Periclean funeral speech three ideals were named: law, freedom and equality.

The Catholic Church had an historical struggle with the principles of democracy especially in Europe. If we look back at the progress of democracy from the time of the French Revolution, we shall see the Church gradually leaving the old forms of governance and leading more in manifesting its development towards God’s community in the modern times rather than prevailing as an institution wielding more of its power. Today, the Church has concentrated its mission of presence in the world and entrusts itself to the power of the Gospel.

The medieval image of the state was dynastic and multi-national. The royal family usually controls the political and economic life of the people in the territories they controlled. Multi-national states were feudal in orientation. Examples of these were Hapsburg, Ottoman, and Romanov located Eastern and central Europe. During the 19^th century, the rapid changes in society had transformed the nation states into a powerful venue improving social, economic and political life. The gradual quest for freedom among the people had turned them from subjects to citizens. This was the time when people focused on their identities either culturally or politically leading to the development of various allegiances and ideologies. Revolutionary slogans appeared describing man’s quest for freedom. The French revolutionary slogans spoke of Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality which depict the ideals of a new identity: citizenship.

The 19^th and 20^th centuries brought about various ideologies stressing personal freedom and individual rights. Liberalism became a political theory, or philosophy and a tradition which centred on religious toleration, government by consent, personal and economic freedom. Liberalism grew as a political system or tendency opposed to centralization and absolutism. It was born in England and the most fundamental principle was an absolute and unrestrained freedom of thought, religion, conscience, creed, speech, press, and politics.

The Industrial Revolution, moreover, led to the triangular conflict between Christianity, Liberalism and Socialism. Christians had to seek their new roles in a changing society where labor, machines, and urbanization were changing the face of the cities rapidly. Majority of the Catholics were entrenched in conservative positions, pursuing anti-liberal orientations, and anti-socialist standpoints. The Industrial Revolution originally referred to the developments that transformed Great Britain and the European states between 1750 and 1830, from a largely rural population making a living almost entirely from agriculture to a town-centered society engaged increasingly in factory manufacture. These conflicts stemmed out from the Church’s reaction to the Liberal and Industrial Revolutions ushering different kinds of ideologies. The Church had schools of thought responding to the growing struggle for freedom and democracy in the society. There were Catholics who attempted to reconcile the values of liberalism and Christianity. Pope Leo XIII was the first pope to seek a solution to the conflicting ideologies by bringing back Thomistic principles into the relationship between Church and State. He likewise attempted to reestablish the influence of the Church in the society as well as returning to Christian principles which were concretely applied to the Church’s relationship with democracy.

Pope Leo XIII offered solutions to the pressing social changes and problems of his time especially to the growing sense of democracy among the citizenry. There was the trend towards affirming individual rights and freedom but on the other hand neglecting moral principles. He emphasized democracy from the perspectives of establishing moral character on public power. Besides, public power should find its foundations on God and the freedom of the individual person. Thus, he advised and exhorted rulers "to govern in a kindly fashion and with a sort of fatherly love." (Libertas Humana, Desclée, II, 110.) The attitude of rulers should be paternal in nature. Thus, "their rule ought to be just, and it ought to imitate the divine governance in that it is tempered with paternal goodness." (Letter, Caritatis providentiaeque, ASS, XXVI (1873-74), 525) To govern with paternal love means to rule with equality, thus, "let them govern the people with equity and fidelity, and let them show, in addition to the severity which is necessary, a paternal love." (Diuturnum, Desclée, I, 227)

Leo XIII focused on promoting freedom of the individual and groups of individuals especially on level of the family as the one of the concrete signs of democracy. External domination of civil governments over individuals and family is in opposition to the virtue of democratic governance. He said, "the contention, then, that the civil government should at its option intrude into and exercise intimate control over the family and the household is a great and pernicious error." (RN 14) The family has the freedom to choose and to opt for counsel from its friends.

Likewise, Leo XIII emphasized that the right to property is an inalienable natural right of the individual and family. True governance emphasizes the protection of these rights. Besides, every person has the right to grow within the context of the family and not primarily under the state. Against the practices of Socialism, Leo XIII speaks that, paternal authority can be neither abolished nor absorbed by the State. Paternal care has the same source as human life itself. (cf RN 14) Alienating the child from the family is an act of injustice to the human person. Against Socialism, he highlighted that, "the socialists, therefore, in setting aside the parent and setting up a State supervision, act against natural justice, and destroy the structure of the home." (RN 14) Democracy emphasizes the right to family and the freedom of the individual person to be formed within the context of the family. The parents likewise have the right to shape the future and destiny of the children according to their dreams.

As the freedom of the individual person is emphasized in a democratic nation, the common good should always prevail. Pius XI’s, Quadragesimo Anno, 40 years after Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, reminds us that, just freedom of action must be left both to individual citizens and to families, yet only on condition that the common good be preserved and wrong to any individual be abolished. (cf QA 25) Democracy includes the special attention of the powerless and the weak. Their rights have to be safeguarded and acknowledged by the State. The function of the rulers of the State is to watch over the community and its parts. However, in protecting private individuals in their rights, chief consideration ought to be given to the weak and the poor. (cf QA 25)

The exercise of freedom includes the conscience of the human person. Man has the right to follow what his conscience dictates. Although the right to form associations and institutions is an individual right, Pius XI made it sure that no one is forced to join labor unions or any institution of his own dislike. Quadragesimo Anno underlines that these unions should always profess justice and equity and give Catholic members the full freedom to care for their own conscience and obey the laws of the Church. (cf QA 35)

The abuse of freedom may cause discord in the society. It implies a conflict among the ranks of those who are in the business world. It would create conflicts among states sacrificing the common good. The misuse of freedom shifts the free market into economic dictatorship and leads to the greed of power throwing the poor into oblivion. Pius XI reminds us that concentration of power and might which is the characteristic mark of contemporary economic life is the fruit that the unlimited freedom of struggle among competitors. (cf QA 107) The misuse of freedom through accumulation of power among the citizens or the rulers of the state itself would lead to three kinds of conflict. First, the struggle for economic supremacy itself; second, the bitter fight to gain supremacy over the State, and third, the conflict among the States themselves. (cf QA 108)

Democracy is system of government in which the citizenry shares in the activities of governance. The freedom of press as an inalienable right of the person in a democratic society includes the right to the truth. The quest for truth and the right to information should be within the realms of the moral order. John XXIII wrote that, man has a right to freedom in investigating the truth within the limits of the moral order and the common good, to freedom of speech and publication, and to freedom to pursue whatever profession he may choose. It has to be noted that man likewise has the right to be accurately informed about public events. (cf PT 12)

Man’s quest for the truth is a responsibility. The Church ensures that society must be structured to provide men with abundant resources. Man’s access to the truth and information shows that he enjoys his freedom to make up his mind and right to the necessities of life. It must be affirmed that before a society can be considered well-ordered, creative, and consonant with human dignity, it must be based on truth. (cf PT 34-35)

Democracy does not only rest on the exercise of political freedom but is founded on basic principles. Nations which had gained independence from their colonialists, find that social and economic programs should be structured in harmony with man’s nature and dignity. (cf PP 6) The choice of government is left also to the will of the people. The freedom to elect the leaders of the government marks one of the signs of democracy. Gaudium et Spes reiterated that the choice of a political regime and the appointment of rulers are left to the free will of citizens. (cf GS 74).

The Church promotes authentic democracy that is based on the correct conception of the human person. The nature and dignity of the human person would be an important guide because it is a basic truth. Thus, it must be observed in this regard that if there is no ultimate truth to guide and direct political activity, then, ideas and convictions can easily be manipulated for reasons of power. As history demonstrates, a democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism (cf CA 46).

The Church as Mother and Teacher, has to be aware of the signs of the times brought about by the radical changes in the political and economic spheres today. The changes in politics and the advancements in economics bring about new conception of society and the State which consequently passes away the traditional one and ushering new forms. These new forms mark new freedoms yet bring threats for new injustices and servitude. These new forms of freedom may indicate a new understanding of democracy. (cf CA 4)

Another significant sign of democracy is the protection of religious rights. Vatican II certainly made it clear that the protection and promotion of the inviolable rights of man ranks primary among the essential duties of government. One of these rights, which the government has to safeguard is the religious freedom of all its citizens by just laws and by other appropriate means. Dignitatis Humanae further says that government must help create conditions that will be favorable to foster religious life in order that the people may be truly enabled to exercise their religious rights and to fulfill their religious duties, (cf DH 6)

The Church envisions a democratic society that protects the rights based on the transcendent vocation of the human person starting from the right of freedom to profess and practice one’s own religious beliefs. A true democratic society centers on development within the framework of solidarity and freedom. (cf SRS 33) The Church condemns all forms of totalitarianism which denies the "transcendent dignity of the human person" (CA 44) and expresses high esteem for democratic systems which recognizes the essential role of individuals, families and different groups which make up society as well as providing wide range of participation among the citizenry to build political and religious communities.

The participation in the Church through a consultation is a democratic expression. Consultation in the form of parish councils, diocesan synods, and diocesan pastoral councils indicate shared responsibility in the Church’s mission and pastoral orientations. Although the structure of the Church is hierarchical which limits the practice of democracy, all members of the Church share a common responsibility of exercising the mission of the Church. Though the pope is elected by the college of cardinals and the selection of the clergy may not be democratic but the Church respects the freedom of expression through consultation. The presbyteral councils, and college of consultors are examples of required structures in the diocesan level to participate in the governance in the Church. The Church is not democratic in many ways because power in the Church is derived from Christ.

The Church as communion protects the rights of all its members in their way of expressing their spiritual needs and desires to the Church. Vatican II highlights that the laity has the right, as do all Christians, to receive in abundance from their spiritual shepherds the spiritual goods of the Church, especially the assistance of the word of God and of the sacraments. They should openly reveal to them their needs and desires with that freedom and confidence which is fitting for children of God and brothers in Christ. (LG 37)

The participation of every member of the Church whether in the ministerial or common priesthood finds its culmination in Christ. Vatican II speaks of the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood as nonetheless interrelated: each of them in its own special way is a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. (cf LG 10) Through diocesan synods and pastoral councils, the entire Church both lay and cleric participate in the governance of the Church. Besides, the Church has the duty of educating those involved in law making, administration of justice, and the formulation of laws in the Church or in civil government. John Paul II in Ecclesia in America reminds that the Church must be committed to the task of educating and supporting lay people involved in law-making, government and the administration of justice, in order that all legislations, deliberations, and judgment will always reflect principles and moral values for the common good. (cf Ecclesia in America 19)

Democracy is a human value which the Church supports and upholds. As the human person advances new forms of freedom today, new forms of democratic thought likewise emerge. The Church seeks to ensure freedom based on truth. There can be no freedom without truth as well as there can be no true democracy without true freedom.