El principio de subsidiariedad

Abstract

The cosmos is a complex whole ordained towards an end which derives from its general nature and from the particular nature of those parts which constitute it. In the cosmos there exist man and society, the latter being made up of different beings which are man himself, married couples, families, municipal, industrial, professional and ideological societies, regional societies, nations, the different societies of nations, and, finally, the universal society. The difference between the natural world and the human world resides in the fact that man, as a free being, can divorce himself from that end which corresponds to him according to his essence. This has indeed happened and is the gravest problem of these modern times, made manifest in one of its main aspects by an inadequate relationship between man and society, and between the diverse components which constitute the latter, an inadequateness which brings forth violence and revolution. The PrincipIe of Subsidiarity is that principIe which establishes the order that must exist in society and which, if it is applied, contributes towards the rise of a true social order, which is that one which serves man according to his essence and existential ends. The PrincipIe of Subsidiarity is studied here in terms of its material causes or subjects, formal cause or structure, efficient or original cause, and its final cause or reason of being. An analysis is made of its theoretical conception and of its practical application. Its importance, which is vital for society, is also pOinted out in a rapid aperr;;u. The author then shows its application throughout the history of the Western World, and points out how the destiny of the West is linked to its having been enforced. Finally, the author makes a few brief comments about the crossroads at which today's world finds itself.