«The conception of legitimate power finds one of its highest expressions in authentic democracy», «far from being a mere procedure, democracy recognizes the dignity of every person». «However, it remains healthy only when it is rooted in the moral law and in a true vision of the human person. Without this foundation, it risks turning into a majoritarian tyranny or a mask for the domination of economic and technological elites.” The Pope says this in a message he sent to the participants in the Plenary of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences on the use of power at a global level.
«I thank your President, Sister Helen Alford, for choosing the theme: ‘The uses of power: legitimacy, democracy and rewriting the international order’ – Pope Leo begins in the message -. This is a particularly current theme, which focuses our reflection on the exercise of power, a crucial element for building peace within and between nations in this moment of profound global change.”
Power as a service to the common good
«Catholic social doctrine – he continues – considers power not as an end in itself, but as a means oriented towards the common good. This implies that the legitimacy of authority does not depend on the accumulation of economic or technological strength, but on the wisdom and virtue with which it is exercised”, he adds, citing the Catechism. «Wisdom – writes Leone again – allows us to discern and pursue the truth and the good, rather than apparent goods and vainglory, in the circumstances of daily life. This wisdom is inseparable from moral virtues, which strengthen our desire to promote the common good.”
The fundamental virtues against the abuse of power
«In particular – he continues -, we know that justice and fortitude are indispensable for making thoughtful decisions and putting them into practice. Temperance also proves essential to the legitimate use of authority, as true temperance curbs excessive self-aggrandizement and serves as a bulwark against the abuse of power. This conception of legitimate power finds one of its highest expressions in authentic democracy.”
International order and new global challenges
«The same principles that guide the exercise of authority within nations – continues the Pontiff – must equally inform the international order, a particularly important truth to remember at a time when strategic rivalries and shifting alliances are reshaping global relations. We must remember that a just and stable international order cannot arise from the mere balance of power or a purely technocratic logic. The concentration of technological, economic and military power in the hands of a few threatens both the democratic participation of peoples and international harmony.”
The final vision: peace and hope beyond earthly power
“Ultimately, when earthly powers threaten tranquilitas ordinis, the classic Augustinian definition of peace – he concludes – we must draw hope from the Kingdom of God, which, although not of this world, sheds light on the affairs of this world and reveals its eschatological meaning”.